This paper looks at the experience of national-level consultative bodies and dialogue platforms for immigrants in those EU and European Economic Area member states where they exist, with the purpose of summarising good practices regarding structural arrangements and institutionalisation, representation, leadership, scope of involvement in policy processes and forms of interaction with government. The first part summarises the normative perspective on consultative bodies, and enumerates the criteria and recommendations for consultative bodies developed by experts. The second part of the paper looks closely at the national-level consultative bodies in three countries: Spain, Finland and Ireland. These countries have been chosen for the good (better than EU-average) evaluation of their consultative mechanisms for immigrant integration according to the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX).

Conclusions and recommendations following from the analysis of these case studies are developed specifically for the future dialogue platform and consultative body in Latvia. Policy document “Basic Principles on National Identity, Civil Society and Integration Policy for 2012-2018” adopted by the Latvian government in October 2011 includes an aim to establish a national consultative council with the participation of immigrants and NGOs representing this group, as well as representatives of ministries and municipalities in 2012.

Research paper in Latvian

Research paper in Russian

Research paper in English

For more information about the project, please contact Dace Akule, PROVIDUS researcher, phone +371 67039258, akule@providus.lv

This publication forms part of the project „Capacity building of NGOs representing third country nationals” financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country nationals (with 75% of funding coming from the Fund, and 25% from Latvian state budget).