Participants in a session on “Integration of migrants – for a strengthened European solidarity” expressed the necessity.of providing local and regional authorities with more national-level resources, as local authorities are the ones first and foremost responsible for delivering services to migrants.

“The local level is the most important level in the integration of migrants, because it is the local level that meets the migrants and that are responsible for providing education, housing and work,” stated Lotta Håkansson Harju, deputy mayor of Järfällä and chair of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions’ International Committee.

Moreover, session participants underlined the need to work together with civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations for the integration of migrants.  Others pointed out that certain cities are shifting from migration policies to diversity policies, which shows a change in mentality vis-à-vis migrants.

The session took place on 28 September 2012, on the last day of the General Assembly of European Municipalities and Regions.