European Council for Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) published “The Way Forward – A reflection paper on the new proposals for EU funds on Asylum, Migration and Integration 2021-2027”. This reflection paper addresses the proposals of most relevance to beneficiaries of the current Asylum Migration & Integration Fund (AMIF) 2014-20, and those that are proposed to be implemented by Member States via ‘shared management’ arrangements (National Programmes). It concentrates mainly on the proposed Asylum & Migration Fund (AMF) and European Social Fund+ (ESF+).
This reflection paper does not aim to provide a complete analysis of the new proposals, instead it notes key risks and potential mitigating actions in the followings seven key areas: 1. Integration 2. Programming 3. Distribution of asylum and migration funding to Member States 4. Allocation of funds within National Programmes (Asylum & Migration Fund) 5. Participation of third countries (Asylum & Migration Fund) 6. Partnership 7. Access to funding for civil society organisations and local authorities.

The document is available online.