The discussions focused on four topics including access to asylum at the borders, combatting smuggling, refugee integration and providing information in countries of origin and transit. The forum is a platform set up at the EU level for a dialogue with civil society on migration, asylum and migrant integration. It replaces the European Integration Forum that was created six years ago as the scope was expanded in 2015 to also cover immigration and asylum.

FRA’s work on fundamental rights at the EU’s external borders and the criminalisation of migrants and those who engage with them was particularly referred to during the event.