11 - Syrian Refugees in Europe

Summary

This chapter offers a snapshot of the main issues related to the integration process of Syrian refugees in Europe, as well as of the good practices and policies so far implemented, providing the reader with both statistical data and concrete examples. The examples are testimonies collected by the European Foundation for Democracy (EFD), a policy institute based in Brussels which, in 2017, undertook a qualitative research project looking into how different European countries with high numbers of refugees are managing the integration process. The countries researched were Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Looking at existing policies, legislation, and practices, the research took a holistic approach, specifically listening to refugees themselves, as well as government officials, selected civil society organisations, integration experts, academics and practitioners, and front-line professionals engaging with refugees. A total of 245 interviews, 131 of which were with refugees, took place to provide analysis into the 2015 refugee crisis and its evolution. This represents a considerable added value compared to the majority of the previous studies on this topic, mostly based on secondary sources.