Research-Policy Dialogues in the European Union

Abstract

Unlike its individual member states, the EU is not responsible for migrant integration and does not possess or promote a particular migrant integration framework or paradigm. However, it does have a growing relevance to this field because of the development of its common migration and asylum policy, which includes certain provisions on migrant integration. As the EU does not have a strong legal basis for action in this area, its role lies more in the gathering and exchange of knowledge, the sharing of ideas, and the monitoring of practices. This chapter assesses both the structures of knowledge production and the utilisation of knowledge, while it also looks at dialogue structures that mediate the relationship between these two. It analyses a number of examples of such structures, and concludes that the production and utilisation of knowledge often goes beyond a purely instrumental use. The European Commission tends to use the knowledge it generates to develop a greater role for the EU, and to legitimate that role as an actor in this policy area. Unlike what has been observed in practically all national case studies, knowledge use at the EU level can be seen as a form of institutional legitimation. There is little evidence, however, that EU action has spilled over into wider public debate so far.