MIGRATION: MOVE TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF DATA.

• Position: Brief article

The need for better data on migratory and asylum flows and policies has been raised by the European Commission. In a Green Paper adopted on November 28, the Commission asks how best to revamp the European Migration Network, a pilot project set up in 2002 and due to expire in 2006.

While a huge amount of data on international migration currently exists, access to it is difficult as it is not centrally available. The EU network was supposed to remedy this situation but so far only 14 member states have designated national contact points. Moreover, there are big divergences in the status of contact points and in how much staff, money and equipment they receive. The network will get euro 3 million from the 2005 EU budget. While more than 1,700 publications had been uploaded from the computer-based information exchange...