Timiș

Key-characteristic of your region in regard to population/migration patterns.

Timiș county is one of the most economically developed regions in Romania, with an extremely low unemployment rate, a thriving commercial, industrial and educational centre. The county has a long and successful history of multiculturalism, as various ethnic groups (Hungarians, Germans, Serbians, Bulgarians, Ukrainian etc) have been living there peacefully. This mix of culture resulted in a way of life based on respecting each other’s values and treasuring the individual features to the benefit of the common good. Moreover, Timiș is the westernmost county, neighbouring Hungarian and Serbian border and it is very well connected with the rest of the national and European transport infrastructure. Therefore, Timiș is a destination county – national migration towards Timis and extra-European immigration. The phenomenon is no longer restricted to the proximity of the state border (aprox. 30 km) and it now covers the area of the whole county. Migrants are now reaching the county not only directly from the Serbian border, but as well from other entering points (Black Sea e.g.). 

What has your regions accomplished in terms of in integration policies so far? Have you adopted the Intercultural Approach already?

According to the Administrative Code, Timiș County Council administers the public and private domain of the county, manages the public services of county interest (social services, child protection, education, health, public order, emergency situations, record of persons) and is responsible for internal and external inter-institutional cooperation. Through the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection, the regional administration is directly involved in matters of social care and child protection. It collaborates with all the 99 local council or relevant NGO-s, if needs arise, in solving problems concerning beneficiaries of international protection (BP) and third-country nationals with the right to reside in Romania (based on a short-term or long-term residence permit), who need support for integration into Romania, as defined in national and European legislation.

Timis County Council is a member of several Committees at regional level, e.g., Timiş County Committee for Emergency Situations and, in this capacity, it provides services in cooperation with local and regional institutions for the beneficiaries of international protection (BP) and third-country nationals with the right to reside in Romania (based on a short-term or long-term residence permit), who need support for integration in Romania, as defined in national and European legislation.  

At the level of the Timis County, a local support team was established, by an order of the prefect.  In terms of the objectives of the EU-BELONG project and the activities envisaged, the project manager is included in this local support team and the project coordinator is the alternate. Each local public administration authority appointed a permanent representative and an alternate in this support team (multi-level and multi stakeholder approach).

All our actions and initiatives are based on the ethical principles of: social solidarity, subsidiarity, universality, respect for human dignity, individual approach, partnership, beneficiary participation, transparency, non-discrimination, effectiveness, efficiency, respect for the right to self-determination, activation, uniqueness of the right to social assistance benefits, proximity, complementarity and integrated approach, competition and competitiveness, equal opportunities, confidentiality, equity, focus and the right to free choice of service provider, as regulated by the national legislation, and in accordance with European and international agreements. 

Any key-actions for migrants’ integration carried out lately by your region you’d like to mention.

Timis County Council joined the Cities and Regions for Integration Initiative, a political platform –” for sharing relevant information and promoting diversity as an added value to building inclusive cities and ensuring social cohesion.” Participating associations include Eurocities, Council of European Municipalities and Regions, Assembly of European Regions, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and National Associations of Local and Regional Authorities. 

Timisoara and Timiș county have a long history of welcoming migrants, also by the Refugee Centre here, a well-functioning structure, which has been managing and helping beneficiaries of international protection (BP) since 2009. 

“Integration NOW II – Complex and unitary approaches for migrants” project is implemented by AIDRom – Ecumenical Association of Romanian Churches in partnership with the Oradea Philanthropy Association, the Institution of the Prefect – Timiș County and the Institution of the Prefect of Caraş – Severin County and is funded by the National Program – Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. Its target group is represented by the beneficiaries of international protection (BP) and third-country nationals with the right to reside in Romania (based on a short-term or long-term residence permit), who need support for integration into Romania, as defined in national and European legislation. 

Within the project: “Integration NOW II – Complex and unitary approaches for migrants”, in the 6 counties of jurisdiction, between August 2019 – July 2020 a number of 357 beneficiaries were assisted through access to individualized and complex integration services, free of charge. We would like to mention some of those activities: specialized social and legal counselling services, financial aid for vulnerable categories, Romanian language courses and cultural accommodation, leisure activities for migrants, specific actions for the minor beneficiaries of the target group and the mediation of the migrants’ relationship with the institutions involved in the project. As a result, the professional skills of the actors involved in assisting the target group were developed and the cooperation between representative members of foreign communities and local inter-institutional support networks, volunteer networks strengthened, as well as the community support. 

AMiD (Access to services for Migrants with Disabilities) is another project that has received funding from the European Union’s AMIF – Asylum Migration and Integration Fund programme under grant agreement No 776055. The project was implemented in order to support an efficient management of the reception and integration of asylum seekers and migrants with disabilities in the EU. The impact of culture on refugee’s relocation is also taken into account. AER was an important partner in the consortium, representing local authorities.

Timis alongside Värmland and Valencia as AER member regions, played an active role in the Community Advisory Board (CAB) of the project. CAB represents the different stages of the assistance to migrants: from the first contact to the relocation in other EU member states, while the 3 AER members are the voice of local authorities in the CAB. The Community Advisory Board aimed to develop a permanent task-force able to coordinate future common actions together with EU Agencies, inspiring a common European Union approach and strengthening important aspects of the Common European Asylum System.

  • What does your region aim to do/learn/test with EU-BELONG? 

With the help of the EU-BELONG project, we aim to improve the skills of the local and regional stakeholders in diversifying the integration strategies, with a special focus on cultural and educational needs both of the migrants and of the civil society they aim to become part of. There is a strong need to widen the knowledge about immigrants home country situations, their religious, social, economic and cultural background, in order to better understand them and adapt the activities to their real needs and aspirations. At the same time, only documented and accurate information can counteract the harmful effects of bias, rumour and stereotypes. Therefore, we want to design and implement intercultural policies of the local authorities and organisations aimed to influencing social interaction, communication, and mutual understanding between native and migrant populations and to bridge differences between ethnic and religious groups. We strongly believe that EU Belong will help us develop capacity-building programmes focused on intercultural dialogue intended as interaction and exchange of views based on equality, respect, and mutual understanding. We want to pave the way to a future where diversity is an advantage, not an issue, where everyone has a place and a role in the colourful puzzle of social life.