Beijing –  IOM in China has officially launched the European Union (EU)-China Dialogue on Migration and Mobility Support Project (MMSP) Phase II – a three-year initiative funded by the EU Partnership Instrument* and implemented by IOM. 

Building on the achievements of its first phase conducted between 2015 and 2018, the second phase of the project is designed to continue to provide support and technical assistance to Chinese and EU partners on matters of mutual interest to the EU-China Dialogue on Migration and Mobility, covering topics including regular migration, irregular migration, migration policy and research.

The launch brought together 43 European and Chinese participants, including representatives of the EU, EU Member States and Schengen Area Embassies in China, as well as the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), National Immigration Administration (NIA), Ministry of Public Security (MPS), Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Senior officials of the EU Foreign Policy Instruments from Brussels and Bangkok also attended the event.

At the opening, H.E. Nicolas Chapuis, EU Ambassador to China, and Mr. Yang Tao of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs committed to support the new project. They emphasized that MMSP serves as a very good platform to jointly face the challenge of realizing safe, orderly and regular migration and stressed the vital role that migration plays in promoting socio-economic development.

IOM China Chief of Mission Giuseppe Crocetti noted that international migration is a top priority for both China and the EU, as it touches on a multiplicity of economic, social and security aspects that affect our daily lives in an increasingly interconnected world. MMSP II Programme Manager Laura Scorretti provided a brief introduction to its objectives, framework, main focus areas and proposed work plan.

The representatives of China’s NIA, the Office to Combat Trafficking at MPS and MFA stressed their interest and willingness to continue implementing the second phase of the project, which is expected to result in stronger cooperation in areas including information sharing, border management and development of capacities to promote regular migration, while curbing irregular flows and jointly combatting trans-border organized crime, in particular human trafficking. They also highlighted that the project will play a significant role in promoting mutual understanding and trust to facilitate mobility between the EU and China.

Ms. Nona Deprez, Head of the Partnership Instrument Unit at the European Commission in Brussels, emphasized that expectations for the project are high, as its first phase achieved important results and supported the successful implementation of the EU-China Dialogue on Migration and Mobility.

All stakeholders recognized that the project provides a good platform to facilitate the EU-China Dialogue on Migration and Mobility by enhancing capacity and transfer of knowledge at relevant levels, fostering inter-agency cooperation within Chinese institutions and with European partners, and promoting the use of best international practices and standards, while strengthening the technical cooperation between EU and Chinese stakeholders.

*The EU Partnership Instrument is managed by the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) of the European Commission.

For further information please contact Laura  Scorretti at IOM China, Tel. + 86 185 1300 5506, Email:  LSCORRETTI@iom.int