Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - REMINDER (Role of European Mobility and its Impacts in Narratives, Debates and EU Reforms)

Teaser

The REMINDER project brings a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the economic, social, institutional and policy factors that have shaped the impacts of free movement and public debates about it. The three-year project launched in January 2017 and has already resulted...

Summary

The REMINDER project brings a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the economic, social, institutional and policy factors that have shaped the impacts of free movement and public debates about it. The three-year project launched in January 2017 and has already resulted in a series of project deliverables, which are available on the Reminder project website (www.reminder-project.eu). The goal of the REMINDER project is to understand both the impacts of free movement and the processes through which political narratives and public opinion about these impacts are formed. In doing so, it aims to help European policymakers develop policy responses that inspire public trust, ensure the fairness and sustainability of free movement, and maintain inclusive policies that reduce inequalities across the continent.

Work performed

The work of the Reminder project is categorised into twelve work packages (WP). All WPs are currently on-going. Progresses can be summarised as follows:
WP1 (Management, coordination, synthesis and dissemination): WP1 addresses the management of the Reminder Consortium and dissemination of results. WP1 includes on-going tasks that will continue throughout the project life cycle (e.g. website).
WP2 (Mapping): WP2 maps the patterns and dynamics of migration within the EU, creating a comprehensive source of data on intra-EU mobility. D2.1 \'Monitoring migration within the EU with existing data\', which covers background and discusses the relevant datasets to understand migration in the EU, was submitted.

WP3 (Determinants of migration): WP3 identifies the role of policy changes in driving migration patterns, putting emphasis on the role of access to, and generosity of, welfare benefits, the minimum wage and transitional restrictions on labour market access. The draft literature review of the determinants of migration flows within the EU (D3.1) has been submitted.
WP4 (Fiscal impacts): WP4 aims to estimate the fiscal effects of intra-EU migration on a country by country basis, attempting to calculate the fiscal contributions made by European citizens, the costs and to what extent this net balance differs between Member States. D4.1 \'Fiscal effects of intra-EEA migration\' was submitted.

WP5 (Labour market / public service impacts): WP5 investigates the role of spill-over effects from the labour market to the broader economy, well-being, and public services, with emphasis on differences in impacts between EU citizens and third country nationals. There were no deliverables due in this reporting period. But, D5.1 \'Effects of Immigration on Workplace Accidents in Spain\' has been developed and work has started on D5.2, which looks at labour markets in Northern European countries.
WP6 (Countries of Origin): WP6 analyses the social and economic impacts caused by growing intra-EU mobility in sending countries with a focus on EU Member States in Central and Eastern Europe. D6.1 \'Literature Review: Impacts and Particularities of Care Migration Directed towards Long-term Care: Zooming in on Slovakia and Romania \' was submitted and results shared with policy stakeholders.
WP7 (Politics and institutions): WP7 looks at the impacts of national institutions and social norms on EU Member States’ national policy positions on free movement as well as their broader policy responses to intra-EU mobility. WP7 submitted three deliverables: D7.1 \'Indicators of labour markets and welfare states in the European Union\'; D7.2 \'Indicators of normative attitudes in Europe: Welfare, the European Union, immigration and free movement\'; and D7.3 \'Understanding the political conflicts around free movement in the European Union: A conceptual framework for an institutional analysis\'.

WP8 (Mapping discourse): WP8 enables an in-depth assessment of how intra- and non-EU mobility are discussed and framed in different countries and across time, contributing to an improved understanding of the interlinkages between mediated discourses, politics and public perceptions. D8.1 \'Discourses on Intra-EU Mobility and Non-EU Migration in European Media Coverage: A Comprehensive Literature Review\' was submitted. It presents an overview of how intra-EU mobility and non-EU migration into Europe are portrayed in media.

WP9 (Public opinion survey): WP9 analyses public opinion about EU mobility. D9.1 \'Media Effects on Attitudes toward Migration and Mobility in the EU: A Comprehensive Literature Review\' was submitted. It reviews literature on communication effects on public opinion toward EU mobility. D9.2 was due at the end of the reporting period (M12) and was submitted before the review meeting in February 2017.
WP10 (Drivers of opinion and norms): WP10 examines people’s perceptions of the effects of international migration on national welfare programs. D10.1, due in March

Final results

The project has three objectives and expected results:

A deeper understanding of the nature and impacts of intra-EU mobility and how to address the tensions it raises, with a particular focus on under-researched areas related to pressures on public services and welfare systems in origin and destination countries. The project assesses how intra-EU mobility has affected labour markets in both origin and destination countries, and what knock-on effects the movement of EU workers and family members has had for public services and welfare systems designed in different ways.

Insight into how political and media narratives about intra-EU mobility are formed. The project examines how the media portrays intra-EU mobility and the circumstances in which freedom of movement has become intertwined with other political debates.
Non-technical information and resources enabling media, policymakers, and a range of other stakeholders in the debate about free movement, to improve the accuracy, balance and depth of public discussions.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.reminder-project.eu.