Migration data management and migration trends are at the centre of public debate today in ways they have not been for many years. The unprecedented magnitude and complexity of forced displacement today has an enormous impact on countries of destination and host communities, but even more so – on the lives of the individual migrants concerned.

The migration dynamics in Europe and timely policy responses to the migration and asylum challenges were discussed during the two-day meeting of the Eastern Partnership Panel on Migration and Asylum    in Budapest, 5-6 March 2015.

Nearly 60 experts and officials from Eastern Partnership countries, EU Member States, academia, civil society and international organizations came together to exchange their ideas on practices and approaches to migration data management, review methodologies for data analysis and discuss how to establish the right balance between data protection principles and efficient usage of data.

During the first day session, the host countries Hungary and Moldova showcased their successful work in the area of migration and asylum policies. The participants also learned about some innovative approaches to migration data collection and discussed the three possible basic models of European migration policies. The second day of the Panel meeting was dedicated to migration intelligence and the analysis of migration trends.

The Panel discussed the forthcoming meeting on labour migration to be held in Minsk this May and notified the participants on the additional ad-hoc meeting on registration and integration of internally displaced persons and other migrants to take place in Kyiv this June.

* The Eastern Partnership (EaP) Panel on Migration and Asylum was launched in 2011 to take stake of common challenges and opportunities of the EU and its Eastern partners. The Panel in funded by the European Union. Whilst the European Commission ensures the overall coordination of the Panel activities, while the Swedish Migration Board (SMB) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mission in Ukraine provide general support to the Panel and assist in organization of the meetings.