Policy background

Why was the EMN established?

In order to address the need to exchange information on all aspects of migration and to contribute to a common asylum and immigration policy, the European Commission was invited to consider the "development of a European system for exchanging information on asylum, migration and countries of origin" by the Laeken European Council in 2001. The result was the European Migration Network, which was launched in 2003 as a Pilot Project, and since 2004 as a Preparatory Action until the end of 2006.

The EMN was established in 2008 (Council Decision 2008/381/EC) and amended by Regulation (EU) No 516/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council in April 2014. The EMN is funded by the European Union. The Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission coordinates the EMN.

Structure

The EMN consists of National Contact Points (NCPs) in the EMN Member (EU Member States except Denmark) and Observer Countries (Norway, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Montenegro, Armenia, Serbia), the European Commission and the EMN Service Provider (ICF). The national contact points meet at least six times a year to discuss the work and to exchange information.