The value of open migration data and its role in Europe
Publication Date/Time
2023-01-31T09:00:44+00:00
Country
Europe
Discover migration-related open data and the challenges to collecting
migration data across Europe
(OPEN) DATA AND MIGRATION IN EUROPE

With millions of people
[https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-europe_en#overall-figures-of-immigrants-in-european-society]
moving across borders in search of new opportunities, stability and
safety, the EU has put special efforts in developing regulation and
data-driven policies that can help address the complex challenges of
migration in a smart effective manner
[https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-europe_en#overall-figures-of-immigrants-in-european-society].

One of the EU’s main strategies
[https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/] to
establish more evidence-based policies is by leveraging the POWER OF
OPEN DATA
[https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/aide-memoire-iom-migration-data-strategy.pdf].
By collecting and analysing open data on migratory trends, EU
policymakers can gain deeper understanding of the underlying drivers
of migration and the impact in the overall EU landscape. As a result,
this can help to make better informed decisions.

But not only is open data on migration useful for the policymaking
cycle, it can also increase the public understanding of the topic of
migration (World Migration Report
[https://publications.iom.int/books/world-migration-report-2022],
2022). Sharing data on migration can help to raise awareness of the
facts related to migration, dispel myths and misconceptions and
contribute to providing a realistic view.

EXPLORING GLOBAL MIGRATION PATTERNS: GATEWAYS TO BETTER INFORMATION 

To better understand global migration patterns and make informed
decisions in the response towards migration, a variety of resources
can be consulted. With a plethora of tools, sharing open data related
to migration, this article centers on three respective tools offering
insights, statistics, and visualisations on migratory trends.  

At the time of writing, data.europa.eu offers access to several open
datasets
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?locale=en&minScoring=0&query=migration&page=1]
that are categorised under ‘migration’. These datasets come from
EU Member States’ public administrations and EU bodies, such as the
European Commission’s Joint Research Centre
[https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/departments-and-executive-agencies/joint-research-centre_en].


Some examples on how to use open migration datasets are: 

 	* _DISCOVERING THE WORLD OF MIGRATION: A COMPREHENSIVE DATA
VISUALISATION BY THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR MIGRATION_

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM),
[https://www.iom.int/] the United Nations agency since 1951, 
presents the Migration Data Portal
[https://www.migrationdataportal.org/], an interactive world map that
allows users to easily explore and understand international migration
patterns. With publicly available and international comparable data
from 192 countries, this portal features interactive maps displaying
travel restrictions, bubble graphs illustrating the number of
international migrants per country, and flux diagrams showcasing the
most prevalent migration corridors. With the Migration Data Portal,
users can gain valuable insights into complexities of global migration
patterns. 

 	* _EUROSTAT DATA_

Eurostat [https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat], as statistical office of the
EU, provides wide range of statistics to support EU policies,
including migration policy. It collects, compiles, and disseminates
statistical information on migration and international mobility in
Europe. This information is used by policymakers, researchers, and the
general public to understand and analyse patterns and trends.
 migration. Examples of publications by Eurostat can be found on
data.europa.eu, including the main reason for migration
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/9g3ityzjb6dixkj3jacrw?locale=en],
assumptions for net migration
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/gzhfu2ud8w0ifx0var47a?locale=en],
and employment rate amongst migrants
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Migrant_integration_statistics_%E2%80%93_labour_market_indicators#Employment_rate]
in EU member states. On the data.europa.eu portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?locale=en], datasets on
migration can be found and used in combination with sources such as
Eurostat and other publishers.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Schermafbeelding_20230130_172919.png]
_Figure 1: An example of data found on Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat] relating to labour market indicators
throughout Europe_

 	* _THE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE ON MIGRATION AND DEMOGRAPHY (KCMD) DATA
PORTAL BY THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE_

The Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography (KCMD)
[https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/migration-demography_en],
created by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, is a
powerful tool for gaining insights into the complex world of
migration. The portal’s centerpiece, the Atlas of Migration
[https://migration-demography-tools.jrc.ec.europa.eu/atlas-migration/info],
is an interactive resource that provides data and indicators on a wide
range of migration-related topics. It allows users to explore and
understand migration trends and patterns, and the demographic
characteristics of migrants. This data source can be useful for
policymakers, researchers and the general public to better understand
migration, giving access to a lot of information to gain deeper
understanding on the global migration phenomenon.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Picture2_2.png]
_Figure 2: An overview of the Atlas of Migration
[https://migration-demography-tools.jrc.ec.europa.eu/atlas-migration/info]
and several variables that the tool assesses_

CHALLENGES OF COLLECTING DATA ON MIGRATION

Migration is a complex and ever-evolving topic, and one that poses
many challenges when it comes to data collection, presentation, and
use. One of the biggest difficulties is the _lack of a universal
definition of migration_, which makes it hard to measure migratory
trends. Different countries may focus on different aspects of
migration, such as migration policy or immigration statistics, which
can make it difficult to compare data from one country to another.

Another challenge is the_ quality of the data_ itself. Data collection
can be hindered by issues such as duplicate data, unstructured data,
incomplete data, different data formats, and difficulty accessing
data. This can lead to countries having varying levels of access to
data, which can impact cross-collaboration between nations.

Finally, there is the issue of _data privacy and confidentiality_.
Protecting personal data is a key objective for the EU, where personal
data are protected through the General Data Protection Regulation
[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj]. Elsewhere, different
countries have different levels of legislation in place to govern
personal data protection. This can make it difficult to share and
collect data, which further complicates the process of understanding
migratory trends. 

GOING FORWARD: HOW TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES?

A standardized definition of migration and a common set of data
collection methodologies would help ensure data is comparable across
countries, allowing reusers to make accurate and meaningful
comparisons.  In terms of data quality, implementing a more efficient
data collection and validation procedure would be very useful. This
would result in eliminating duplication of data, standardizing data
formats and ensuring that data is complete and accurate. In terms of
data privacy and confidentiality, international agreements on data
sharing and use could help. 

In conclusion, the challenges of collecting, presenting, and using
data on migration are significant, but there are solutions that can be
implemented to overcome them. The key is to establish a standardized
definition of migration and a common set of data collection
methodologies. This will ensure that data from different countries is
comparable and can be used to make accurate and meaningful
comparisons. Portals like data.europa.eu can contribute to combining
data assets across borders, as a basis for data-driven decisions. 
