Re-Turn: Regions benefitting from returning migrants Interact seminar on the Interreg response to migration-related challenges Vienna | 5 July 2016 Re-Turn: Regions benefitting from returning migrants Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE | Joint Secretariat | Chiara Casarella

€ LP Basic project facts 7 - Regions benefitting from returning migrants Objectives: To create framework conditions for retaining human capital and to counter brain drain To push the topic of return migration onto the political agenda in CE regions LP € 7 Project from 2007-2013 7 regionally active public and not-for-profit bodies (3 public authorities, 1 association of public authorities, 3 qualification and training organizations), 4 research organizations (2 universities and 2 research institutes) and 1 international organization lobbying for migration issues (IOM) Lead partner Leibnitz Institute for Geography (DE) Countries Area of intervention Focus Combined policy learning and practical implementation Budget 12 partners from 7 countries Fostering knowledge development around 2m EUR

WHAT THEY achieved Raise the re-migration issue onto the political agenda of the regions and teste solutions for the identified challenges

What situation they started from Context: General focus on determinants, rather than consequences of (re)migration (Re)migration often explained in economic terms, without acknowledging: Social and psychological issues Role of social networks Few research on transnational aspects of return migration within the EU Challenge: Analytical perspective to study return migration Lack of coherent theory/ definition/ data Target groups: Labour migrants from CEE Working in another country for more than 6 months Returning to their home country

HOW THEY achieved their results Step 1 Understanding the needs and potentials of returning migrants Understanding the regional conditions for re-integration Step 2 Developing tools, methods and service concepts to help the regions benefit from return migration Step 3 Developing and supporting a joint action plan to improve framework conditions for innovative migrants   1. main objective is to identify and understand the existing situation of return migration and unexploited potentials in participating countries and regions to be able to use return migration to foster knowledge development 2. Develop, share and test methods and tools to re-attract, re-integrate and assist remigrants for better capitalisation and knowledge development 3. Give recommendations and strategy advise for decision makers on regional level; appropriate framework conditions for the capitalisation on returning migrants shall be created for the benefit of regional knowledge development Project was able to increase awareness in the participating regions in the brad public of the benefits of regional development associated with return migration The project was able to deepen the knowledge base in the field of return migration in Central Europe using an online survey with nearly 2000 central European migrants, motives, satisfaction patterns, problems and 109 expert interviews with business representatives across central Europe The project was able to support test and implement pilot measures The project was able to generate attention among policy makers on the regional, national and European level.

How they achieved their results 1. RE-ATTRACT emigrants from abroad Communication, ambassadors, networks, telephone hotlines, websites Target groups: Decision takers, public administration officers, … Job Housing Child Care Schooling Cultural life Community 2. RE-INTEGRATE returnees upon return One-stop-shops, reintegration offices, regional websites, ambassadors Target groups: Representatives of business associations, … 3. RE-EMPLOY returnees at home Professional training, regional labour offices, business associations, start-up assistance and business incubators Target groups: Intermediaries dealing with training and qualification of the workforce, … Decision takers and officers from regional authorities and labour market organisation Intermediaries dealing with training and qualification of the workforce Representatives of business associations and economic development promoters Social networks of migrants and organisations dealing with migration

Which services they sustained

What they Published… why Re-Turn Remigration Trends Report Answering to a lack of sufficient statistical data to monitor return migration Re-Turn Baseline Report Collection of wide variety of existing return initiatives that are poorly known Re-Turn Migrant Survey Report Asking return migrants with potentials for their home regions which assistance they need during return Re-Turn Business Survey Report Asking businesses from home regions that have to be included into return intiatives

What they Published… why Re-Turn Working Paper on Barriers for Capitalisation on Return Migration Establishing that return initatives need an efficient communication strategy Re-Turn Transnational Strategy Stating that return initiatives are positive discrimination of migrants Stating that return migration can have a temporary character in an integrating EU labour market Stating that social security systems must be internationally compatible Emphasising that ‚one fits all‘ strategies are not valid as regions are different Find the publications: http://www.re-migrants.eu/

What they achieved… in Detail Established collaboration network of regional stakeholders and increased awareness in the “return-topic” Deepened the knowledge base in the field of return migration in central Europe and tested tools and measures Identified regional organisations, embedded in local structures, willing to continue the Re-Turn services in the region after project end Increased awareness of participating regions about the return migration and its potential Maintained the discussion and information process about return migration on partner level initiated through the pilot testing period– by regular communication and exchange with local actors as well as wide local/regional and national promotional campaigns. (mobile: internal migrants, international migrants as well as non-mobile: unemployed people, people on parental leave, etc.) to increase the number of potential beneficiaries to realize Re-Turn services and to ensure that other population groups feel not discriminated against. Increased awareness of participating regions about the return migration and ist potential Deepened the knowledge base in the field of return migration in Central Europe Developped, implemented, tested and evaluated pilot measures to support return migration Collaboration network of regional stakeholders, interested in the “return-topic” and capable of offering support in terms of content and funding Identified regional organizations, embedded in local structures, willing to continue the Re-Turn services in the region after the project’s end. Project partners aim to maintain the discussion and information process about return migration Opening of services to other population groups in the region Generated attention among policy makers on regional, national and European levels Created a collaboration network of regional stakeholders that are interested in the “return-topic” and capable of offering support in terms of content and funding

CONTACT DETAILS Chiara Casarella Joint Secretariat Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme www.interreg-central.eu casarella@interreg-central.eu +43 1 8908088-2423 facebook.com/InterregCE linkedin.com/in/centraleuropeprogramme twitter.com/interregce