NECME: New forms of European citizenship in the era of migration

In the period following 2010, migration flows to Europe increased significantly, and 2015 was marked by the European migration crisis. The influx of refugees and economic migrants that the EU needed to accommodate sparked political debates and also led to diverse sentiments among the European public – ranging from humanitarian displays of care and tolerance to xenophobia and discriminatory behaviors. Moreover, it challenged the stability of the sense of European citizenship and belonging.

The NECME project focuses on this pressing societal issue. The primary goal of the initiative is to explore how the phenomenon of migration impacts European civil society in the context of emerging new forms of civic engagement and active citizenship.

The project brings together 17 civil society organizations from 16 countries across the continent and is carried out through three main components: an international survey in the partner countries examining perceptions of migrants and the phenomenon of migration; the study of local and international activities on-site; dissemination of the results; and the promotion of independent or collective civic actions to facilitate the inclusion of migrants in European society.