TAIEX-Partnership Instrument Regional Workshop on migrants and refugees from Venezuela, Brussels 12-14 June 2019

On 12-14 June, the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument of the European Commission (TAIEX) Regional Workshop on the outflow of Migrants and Refugees from Venezuela took place in Brussels, Belgium.

The workshop aimed at exchanging best practices between EU Member States and Latin American and Caribbean countries on the approach to major migration flows, with a special attention to the current outflow of migrants and refugees from Venezuela. Over 90 experts from different EU Member States, institutions and international organisation participated in the workshop, including EU Member States, staff of EU institutions and representatives of international organisations, including IOM, ILO, UNHCR, and ICMPD, members of the Working Party on Latin America and the Caribbean (COLAC). In addition, delegates from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago took part in the event.

The event focused particularly on the consequences of the Venezuelan migration crisis and contributed to the identification of feasible steps and strategies to manage migrant influxes from Venezuela including:

• Sharing best practices and lessons learnt on documentation, health, shelter, education, labour market, security, trafficking/exploitation and integration;
• Deepening the understanding of the relevant EU legal framework and practices to enable the beneficiary countries to come up swiftly with national and regional solutions, as well as with a more coordinated approach;
• Contributing to the identification of feasible steps on national and regional strategies for a coherent, integrated and synergic approach to the phenomenon – not only with immediate and intermediate actions, but also, and especially, with long-term sustainable solutions.

Ms Nona Deprez, Head of Unit for the Partnership Instrument within the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, highlighted past examples of successful cooperation through TAIEX. She also emphasised ongoing initiatives with countries from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region where the EU is setting out a vision for renewed political cooperation based on a partnership of equals.

Mr Lawrence Meredith, Director for Neighbourhood East and Institution Building at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement (DG NEAR), emphasized the nature of the TAIEX instrument as a tool to help interact, meet, learn from each other and boost cooperation. He stressed the importance of building a community of practitioners with an impact on the ground on the lives of many working every day in the name of the principles of solidarity, humanity and friendship.

Background

The Technical Assistance and Information Exchange instrument (TAIEX) of the European Commission supports public administrations with regard to the approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation as well as facilitating the sharing of EU best practices.

The Partnership Instrument enables the EU to advance its strategic interests, shape global change and promote its fundamental values. Through the Partnership Instrument, the EU cooperates with partners around the world to address global challenges and find joint solutions to issues of mutual interest. The PI funds activities that carry forward the EU's priorities, translating political commitments into concrete measures.

For more information

• The Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument of the European Commission (TAIEX)
• The EU's Partnership Instrument