At the invitation of the German Federal Minister of the Interior, Dr Wolfgang Schäuble, the EU integration ministers are meeting in Potsdam today and tomorrow as part of the German EU Council Presidency. At the conference, ministers will discuss strengthening European cooperation and the exchange of experience within the EU regarding integration policy issues. On the second day, the subject of intercultural dialogue will be part of the agenda for the first time in the history of European ministerial conferences.
Minister Schäuble underlined:
"With regard to second- and third-generation descendants of immigrants living in Member States, achieving full integration and ensuring equal opportunities is one of the most important challenges of EU home affairs policy. Although the term integration is often used with different meanings, our societies are facing the same challenges. A successful integration policy is an essential prerequisite for future immigration; at the same time, it is crucial to preserving freedom and maintaining social cohesion.
Intercultural dialogue is also an important means to ensure that people of different backgrounds and religions can live together in Europe in harmony. In recent years, numerous Member States have begun a dialogue especially with representatives of Muslim communities. The forms of this often very fruitful exchange vary depending on the history and culture of each country. However, the questions to be answered and the problems to be solved are the same all over Europe. Therefore, it is time to discuss intercultural dialogue also at the European level and to start learning from the experiences of our neighbours."
The State Minister at the Federal Chancellery responsible for integration, Prof. Dr Maria Böhmer, said:
"Successful integration of immigrants is one of Europe's key tasks for the future. Together we face the challenge of improving the way in which people of different origins and from different cultural backgrounds live together on the basis of our European value system. The best way to achieve this is by talking with the immigrants, not about them. Therefore, we in Germany are drafting the National Integration Plan together with the migrant organizations and by involving civil society. At the European level we are striving for an in-depth discussion about successful ways to better integration. A vital contribution is the dialogue with migrants.
"Integration is a two-way process. Our aim must be to create and maintain a climate of openness towards immigrants in their adopted societies. The diversity of individuals with their different experiences, skills and talents is a priceless resource in a globalized world, which we need to encourage and take advantage of. On the other hand, immigrants themselves also have to make an active contribution to integration, in particular by learning the language of their adopted country and respecting its laws and values."
Even if the integration of immigrants remains primarily a national responsibility, it has become an increasingly important issue of European migration policy. The title on asylum and immigration policy of the Treaty establishing the European Community does not provide express EU competence with respect to immigration. Nonetheless, in 2003 the heads of state and government agreed on a structured dialogue at European level. EU Member States cooperate by exchanging information and experience. For this purpose, they established a group of National Contact Points on Integration.
The aim of the Potsdam Informal Meeting is to identify the topics for future cooperation and to adapt the mandate of the National Contact Points on Integration accordingly. Issues should include full participation of and equal opportunities for immigrants, especially the second and third generation, the prevention of radicalization and measures to raise the host societies' awareness and acceptance of the fact that immigration is a permanent phenomenon.
The Member States will also discuss new national initiatives aimed at the integration of immigrants. The Commission will present the second edition of the Handbook on Integration. The handbook, which is published by the Commission, contains a summary of integration-related seminars organized and held by Member States. For example, a seminar on integration infrastructure was held in Berlin in December 2005; the results of this seminar are documented in the EU handbook in the chapter "Governance of Integration". These seminars are intended a European platform for exchanging ideas also in the future.
On the second conference day, the ministers responsible for integration matters will share their views and ideas on the subject for the first time. In the past five years, numerous Members States have actively sought a dialogue with Muslim communities and their representatives at the national, regional and local level. Irrespective of the diversity of approaches, these initiatives pursue a common goal: to help people in Europe live together in harmony.
In September 2006, Germany launched the German Conference on Islam (DIK), an initiative dedicated to intercultural dialogue. The Federal Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the German federal states, aims to establish a viable foundation for relations between the German state and Muslims living in Germany.
The Conference is intended to be a long-term process of negotiation and communication between the German state and representatives of Muslims living in Germany, to continue for two to three years. Through the discussion process, the Conference strives to achieve a broad consensus on respecting the same principles of social and religious policy, with a special emphasis on absolutely upholding and respecting the principles of liberal democracy as enshrined in the Constitution.
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