Migration and Cohesion in Europe: a Challenge, not a Contradiction
The eighth position paper of the Daniel Vernet Group addresses immigration, integration and cohesion in Europe where migration is often perceived as a threat to cohesion within societies and also among states. In the paper, the Daniel Vernet Group argues that migration and cohesion are not contradictory. However, Germany and France need to develop common approaches in order to encourage the finding of European answers to these challenges.
This article is available in the following languages:
- French: Migration et cohésion en Europe : un défi, pas une contradiction
- German: Migration und Zusammenhalt in Europa: Herausforderung, nicht Widerspruch
The Daniel Vernet Group is an initiative of the Genshagen Foundation and the Comité d'études des relations franco-allemandes (Cerfa) at the Institut français des relations internationales (Ifri). It consists of twenty German and French members and meets twice a year.
The members of the group are experts who come in particular - but not only - from the fields of science, economics and the media and whose analysis and judgment are fed by the expertise of their sometimes very different fields of work as well as their German-French Vita. In order to ensure a neutral and distanced problem analysis of the group, its composition deliberately avoided the involvement of representatives from politics, diplomacy and administration. The group, however, invites political representatives to hearings during each working session.
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The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.
Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.
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