Mandate

The Division on Migration and Refugees (DMR) was created at the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DG1) on 1 February 2025 to follow-up on the action by the former Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees. Its mandate includes suggesting assistance and support to member states, particularly through the Network of Focal Points on Migration, seeking, collecting and analysing information on the human rights situation of migrants and refugees, as well as complementing and co-ordinating activities of other relevant Council of Europe bodies and our action with other international partners, notably the UNHCR, IOM, EU, and its specialised agencies, and other national, regional and international stakeholders, including civil society organisations. The DMR represents the Council of Europe in the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award Selection Committee, as well as in the Consultative Forums of Frontex and of EUAA.

Back The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees moves forward

The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees moves forward

On 8 September 2020, the European Qualification Passport for Refugees (EQPR) Project Coordination Group met online to discuss the current status of activities and the way forward. The meeting was opened by Mr Henrik Asheim, Minister of Higher Education and Research of Norway, who recognised the difficulties refugees encounter when adapting to a new society and the importance of the EQPR for their lives. “Working your way into a new society would be hard for any of us. Doing it without a formal assessment of your education or skills is even harder”, said the Minister in his opening remarks.The Co-ordination Group discussed an online platform - soon to be launched - a specialized training course for evaluators and gathering testimonials from EQPR holders.The meeting brought together representatives from the 11 participating countries (Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, and the United Kingdom) as well as from the UNHCR and the Council of Europe.

Gaining increasing attention nationally and internationally, the European Qualification Passport for Refugees (EQPR) confirms its relevance at a time when more inflows of refugees are expected and societies need to find effective integration strategies. The project was recently listed among the OECD’s Observatory for Public Sector Innovation (OPSI) Case Studies. An initiative of the OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), the Observatory advises governments through highlighting best practices and transformative tools and supports member states in adapting similar ground-breaking actions. Refugees have also been able to use the EQPR to apply for a scholarship in Italy for the academic year 2020-2021, a further example of the momentum of the Qualifications Passport. 607 refugees have now been interviewed and 505 have received the EQPR.

The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees provides an assessment of the qualifications held by refugees based on available documentation and a structured interview. It also presents information on the applicant’s work experience and language proficiency. The document provides reliable information, in a standard format, for integration and progression towards employment and admission to further studies.

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
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