Enhancing cooperation among the Prague Process states

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12 February 2024

Reports

This document has been created following the discussions among - and inputs from - participants of the Prague Process Workshop held in Tbilisi in October 2023, highlighting best practices, key success factors and stumbling blocks to digitalising the various aspects of the migration management cycle, as well as providing some recommendations for next steps. The Workshop focused on the increased role of digitalisation, and how this can be deployed to assist in migration management.

The overarching expectation is that digitalisation will yield substantial benefits in the Prague Process region, streamlining processes for officials and improving the overall experience for migrants. From a migrant's perspective, a single, comprehensive app could serve as a portal to access various services, encompassing applications, healthcare, education, social security, and identification. Furthermore, establishing centralised databases accessible to all government departments is recommended. This should be done while addressing privacy concerns through appropriate authorisations to facilitate data sharing and better support governments, ultimately enhancing the experiences of migrants through application processes. Internal interoperability among national government departments and public authorities is deemed crucial, and this interoperability should be extended to other countries to ensure trans-national compatibility.

In line with this, adopting a one-stop-shop approach for migrants and migration management is encouraged, based on best practices from the region. Training, effective communication around the roll out of new systems and feedback mechanisms are also identified as essential elements for successful system implementation and user engagement.

Authors

Irina Lysak, Project Manager, Prague Process Secretariat, ICMPD; Glen Hodgson, Founder and CEO, Independent Think Tank Free Trade Europa | This publication was produced in the framework of the Prague Process, financed by the European Union through the Migration Partnership Facility. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and in no way represent the views of the European Union.