This report presents a data inventory on available statistical data on various aspects of post-2014 migrant settlement and integration, as well as contextual characteristics in small- and medium-sized town and rural areas (SMsTRA). Understanding various aspects of migrant integration at different governance levels is crucial. To do so, quantitative data on integration policies, outcomes and contexts are particularly useful in conducting cross-country comparative analysis and in understanding trends over time. Furthermore, data allow us to analyse the role that policies play on migrant integration outcomes. This report therefore lists and explains the main sources and datasets on integration policy, integration outcomes, public perception and attitudes and social cohesion. Our analysis shows that despite improvements in data availability in the EU, there is still a lack of sub-national data on these issues, which limits cross-country and cross-locality comparisons.
First, the report analyses integration policy indicators at national, regional and local levels. After that, it does the same for integration outcomes, social cohesion and public perceptions. In each section, the topics and groups of migrants covered by existing data – as well as their geographical and temporal scope – are illustrated. The report also covers two specific analyses across countries selected in the framework of the Whole-COMM project. The first focused on the availability of data about attitudes towards the integration of migrants in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the second addressed the availability of information about the general population and overall trends, migration trends, and integration outcomes of migrants in the 40 SMsTRA across nine countries (Austria, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Turkey, Poland). After these specific analyses, the report provides a brief overview of the policy impact and the complex relationship between contextual conditions, integration policies and outcomes.
Authors: Sinem Yilmaz, Giacomo Solano and Nahikari Irastorza
