Territorial and Urban Potentials Connected to Migration and Refugee Flows
The service contract will contribute in raising knowledge on the territorial impact of migration and refugee flows in the Adriatic-Ionian and Danube macro-regions in order to take these aspects into account in the framework of the EUSAIR and EUSDR strategy and the ETC programmes. Both the Adriatic-Ionian and Danube macro-regions face substantial inflows of migrants and refugees coming from outside the EU due to their geographical location. Some regions, like North Aegean and Puglia, have become the main landing points. Others, like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, are regions facing the highest influx of migrants as points of final destination. Therefore, both macro-regions are characterized by strong interdependencies and similar challenges in this matter. The main outcome should be a comprehensive overview of the recent migration and refugee flows in the Adriatic-Ionian and Danube macro-regions from a qualitative and quantitative point of view looking at the main driving forces affecting the geographical distribution of the migrants (e.g. attractiveness of specific regions and cities to migrants and refugees). In addition, the territorial impacts of migration will be investigated seeking to explain how migration affect the current socioeconomic challenges and possibly provide opportunities as well. As a result the policy recommendations will focus on how different territories can overcome challenges of unpredictable and large scale inflows, manage integration and enhance the potentials in their endeavors to cope with the current migration and refugee inflows within their strategic policy and development objectives.