The EMN is an EU-wide network providing up-to-date, objective, reliable and comparable information on migration and asylum.

Set-up in 2003 by the European Commission and legally established by the European Council in 2008 (Council Decision 2008/381/EC), the EMN responds to information needs of EU and national policymakers as well as the general public. It is composed of the European Commission (DG Migration and Home Affairs), which coordinates the EMN, and 29 National Contact Points (NCP) in each EU-Member State (except Denmark) as well as Norway, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Montenegro, Armenia and Serbia. Each NCP is appointed by their relevant national government. The NCPs are located in  and therefore include a variety of different institutions, such as Ministries of the Interior and of Justice, government agencies, research institutions and international organizations.

In 2003, the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior nominated the IOM Country Office for Austria as the Austrian NCP. Since then, EMN Austria has produced numerous publications, organized high-level international conferences, and established a flourishing network of national stakeholders. In doing so, EMN Austria aims at:

  • Understanding information needs of policy makers and the general public
  • Enhancing the EMN’s role in responding to such needs in an appropriate format
  • Facilitating and encouraging information exchange

Tasks

Based on a Biannual Work Programme developed by the NCPs and the European Commission, EMN Austria produces various different outputs:

EMN Studies (National Reports): Each year the EMN usually selects four relevant study topics based on proposals made by NCPs and the European Commission. The selection is based on current policy priorities and the work of the European Commission. Based on  common study templates (see here for an example), which ensure EU-wide comparability of the study results, EMN Austria produces National Reports in German and English, which can either be downloaded or ordered free of charge.

EMN Synthesis Reports: The EMN collects all national study results to publish an EMN Synthesis Report summarizing the main findings from EMN Member States.

EMN Informs and EMN Flashes: Based on information gathered and analysed by the NCPs, for example, from studies or Ad-Hoc Queries, the EMN produces Informs and Flashes, which provide key findings on a specific topic and succinct summaries to policymakers.

EMN Ad-Hoc Queries: Through Ad-Hoc Queries, NCPs and the European Commission can collect comparative information on asylum and migration-related issues on short notice. Once finalized, all responses are merged in summary form or an EMN Inform.

Annual Policy Reports Austria: Each year EMN Austria publishes an Annual Policy Report providing an overview of migration and asylum-related developments and debates in Austria. Furthermore,  the regularly updated organizational chart gives an overview on the most relevant state actors and their roles. 

EMN Annual Reports on Migration and Asylum: On the basis of the national Annual Policy Reports, the EMN produces the EMN Annual Report on Migration and Asylum, which outlines the most significant migration and asylum-related political and legislative developments in the EU while also analysing statistical trends. Furthermore, EMN Country Factsheets provide succinct summaries of the main developments in each EMN-Member State, 

EMN Glossary: The EMN Glossary improves comparability by enabling a common understanding and use of terms and definitions relating to migration and asylum. This current version contains a total of 468 terms.

In addition to these publications, EMN Austria regularly organizes national events bringing together policy makers and other stakeholders active in the field of migration and asylum in Austria and abroad. Besides several small scale events, such as the EU Migration Talks, EMN Austria also hosts the annual National EMN Conference, one of Austria’s most important migration conferences each year.

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EMN Impact Report 2018–2022: To mark its 15th anniversary, the EMN has compiled a document highlighting the key activities of the last five years at both EU and national levels, underscoring the network’s ongoing commitment to addressing complex challenges related to migration and asylum.