Better Exchange of Information and Knowledge

Many Member States also highlighted the added value in better exchanging information between relevant stakeholders, both at national and EU level. The following gives some specific examples of how information and knowledge might be better exchanged.

Co-operation between different stakeholders in Austria, for example, in the framework of Working Groups and Round Tables was considered to be an efficient way in which to discuss and exchange information between the different actors in the field. Prominent amongst these

114 The POBYT system in Poland collects data on administration procedures concerning foreigners (inter alia granting permits to settle, residence permits for a fixed period, granting the refugee status or another form of protection, visas issued by voivodes, expulsions, persons related to repatriation proceedings, etc.). The users system include the Office for Foreigners, Citizens’ an Migration Issues Departments of Voivodeship Offices, Border Guard units, Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others. The maintenance of the System is the responsibility of the Head of the Office for Foreigners.

115 See http://www.ukhtc.org/

are the Working Group on Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (Arbeitsgruppe Unbegleitete Minderjährige Flüchtlinge), the Working Group on Child Trafficking (Arbeitsgruppe Kinderhandel) and the Roundtable Child Trafficking (Runder Tisch Kinderhandel).

Similarly, initiatives in Belgium to have a better exchange of information between the different stakeholders (Immigration department, police services, reception centres, guardians, etc.) have been taken at different levels (task force, protocol agreements, Guardianship Service).

The work of the inter-agency working group with non-governmental organisations in the Czech Republic is perceived very favourably. This working group inter alia tackles the current problems in this field, co-ordinates the efforts of governmental and non-governmental institutions and promotes initiatives for legislation changes. In fact, the contribution of non-profit and international organisations in this field, notably the Organisation for Assistance to Refugees, the Consultation Centre for Refugees, La Strada, IOM Prague and UNHCR, is appreciated, particularly for their social-legal consultancy, their activities performed in the positions of guardians and their organisation of leisure time activities for these minors.

A Conference organised in France by the Défenseure des Enfants¹¹⁶ in June 2008, brought together professionals dealing with unaccompanied minors. This represented a first step towards the harmonisation of national and then European practices, intended to improve management of these minors. The conference highlighted best practices, enabled exchanges between all actors present and identified a number of issues. Amongst these were the inadequate number of Ad Hoc Administrators (AHAs), the difficulty in differentiating minors from adults, the difficulty experienced by minors in obtaining training, and inequality of care between different Member States. The conclusions of this conference recommended: (1) Immediate protection of minors arriving by land; (2) Better respect of the right to information of minors arriving by air; (3) Progress to be made in relation to validating the age of the minor; and (4) Validating of rights in comparison with other children of the same age.

Improved transparency was identified as a possible measure for improvement in Germany in respect of the procedures and practices, as well as a more intensive exchange of experiences

116 Further details available from http://www.lesdefenseuresdesenfants.org/.

between actors such as, for example, the Federal Police and Länder Authorities dealing with unaccompanied minors. Another suggestion is to examine the extent to which procedures, harmonised on both a national and a European level, could be created, and the existing basic conditions adjusted, i.e. age assessment.

A major challenge in Italy is considered to be the need to strengthen the co-ordination between central bodies (Committee for Foreign Minors, which is part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies), local bodies (Municipalities represented by the ANCI) and, then, to the issue of enhancing the full potential of civil society and associations for the reception and integration of unaccompanied minors.

Establishing co-operation among all involved in the treatment of unaccompanied minors has been considered effective in the Slovak Republic, with employees of the Border and Alien Police and Migration Office praising the level of communication between and co-operation among representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family in receiving unaccompanied minors into care. In addition, several training sessions for employees of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, the Migration Office and NGOs organised by UNHCR, IOM, and non-governmental organisations, such as the Slovak Humanitarian Council, served to provide the opportunity for an international exchange of experience and knowledge, as well to make contacts for future co-operation.

The positive experience in Slovenia has been the active engagement in, and support for, the realisation of interdepartmental co-operation by the Police with the Aliens Centre. Two interdepartmental meetings on unaccompanied minors, with the aim to present the situation and find alternative possibilities of accommodation of unaccompanied minors, were organised.

Referring also to Section 5.5, Lithuania in particular considered that the provision of training to Border Guards in dealing with an unaccompanied minor arriving at an external border of the EU would be advantageous, also as a firm basis in the next steps taken with an unaccompanied minor. Training along these lines has already been provided in the Slovak Republic by the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights for employees of the Border and Alien Police on the rights of children and unaccompanied minors. The AWAS, mainstream welfare, home ministry, security, NGOs, International Organisations (e.g. ENARO, Save the

Children and COST HOME) and University personnel in Malta have promoted and participated in learning and exchange courses and seminars. For example, the University of Malta launched a Masters in Social Work and in Social Policy of Migration from October 2009, aimed at practitioners active in Malta and the Mediterranean. Elsewhere, an ad-hoc parliamentary committee on immigration which will scrutinise the whole system, including for unaccompanied minors, was established in 2009.