Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees

About the partnership

The Urban Agenda Partnership on Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees was launched in 2016 as part of the Urban Agenda for the EU. Coordinated by the City of Amsterdam and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), this Thematic Partnership aims to better align policy development, knowledge exchange and implementation of policies in the field of integration.

The Inclusion Partnership has developed into an effective, outcome-oriented platform for eye-level cooperation and trust-building between cities, Member States, EU institutions, stakeholders such as civil society actors, international associations, think tanks, as well as migrants and refugees themselves.

Urban Agenda Partnership on Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees

Partnership members play a key role in identifying integration challenges, designing solutions, and mobilising resources. A defining strength of the Partnership is its ability to foster meaningful exchange across a wide range of actors, enabling cities, governments, organisations and civil society to share knowledge, experiences and strategies that shape a more coordinated response to support refugee and asylum applicants’ integration. This approach broadens operational capacity and amplifies impact, driving meaningful change.

Thematic focus

The 2025-2027 Work Plan of the Urban Agenda Partnership drives change through four key actions: tackling institutional racism fuelled by misinformation and hate speech, empowering refugees and asylum applicants to harness labour market opportunities, strengthening education services for migrant communities, and securing sustainable funding to support long-term integration. These actions are closely aligned with the EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion, ensuring that efforts at the local level contribute directly to the EU’s broader integration goals. With collaboration at its core, this plan paves the way for a more inclusive and resilient society.

Action Disinformation: Combating migration disinformation, hate speech and discrimination

Action Education: Inclusive education from early childhood to higher education

Action Employment: Inclusive Integration into quality jobs

Action Funding: Increasing coherence between EU funds on integration

This action promotes education, awareness, and collaboration among authorities, media, and migrant-led organisations to reshape narratives, influence policy, and foster inclusion at all levels.

This action focuses on improving teaching methodologies, highlighting best practices in inclusive education, language learning, and vocational guidance to enhance social and professional opportunities and reduce school dropout rates.

This action promotes employment opportunities, skills recognition, and collaboration between authorities, migrant-led organisations, and employers. It focuses on exchanging best practices and capacity-building activities, including a guidebook and engagement strategies to support successful labour market integration.

This action seeks to improve funding alignment, ensuring resources for migrant integration match real needs. It will highlight best practices, strengthen partnerships, and promote sustainable support for migrant integration across all levels of governance.

To learn more about the partnership’s actions, upcoming events, and information on the previous actions, visit the Inclusion Partnership website.

Members

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Member States

Denmark
Greece
Italy
Portugal

Urban Areas

Amsterdam (NL, Coordinator)
Athens (EL)
Barcelona City Council (ES)
Berlin (DE)
Helsinki (FI)

European/ national city umbrella organisation

Eurocities
URBACT

Other stakeholders

Migration Policy Group

European institutions

European Commission (DG Home as coordinator, DG REGIO, DG EMPL, JRC)
Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB)
Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
European Committee of the Regions
European Council for Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
European Investment Bank (EIB)

Concrete actions

01

Recommendations on the protection of unaccompanied minors

02

Towards more evidence-based integration policies in cities setting the agenda, exploring comparable indicators & developing a toolbox for good practice transfer

03

Improving access for cities to EU integration funding

04

Establishment of an Academy on Integration strategies

05

Establishment of an European Migrant Advisory Board

Show all concrete actions

EUI - Call for City-to-City Exchanges

The call for City-to-City exchanges is open on a continuous basis.
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Knowledge

View knowledge outputs on Portico

Portico is the European urban knowledge platform developed by the European Urban Initiative (EUI) in support of better urban policy and strategy design, implementation, and mainstreaming.

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