The conference dedicated to summarize the research carried out in the framework of EASTmig project. The acronym EASTmig stands for the title „ Migration between Visegrad countries and the Eastern Partners (Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine) – On the Eastern edges of the Schengen Area ”. The twenty-months-long research was carried out as a Flagship Project of the International Visegrad Fund Eastern Partnership Programme which is especially designed to enhance international cooperation in fields of strategic importance in the broader Eastern neighbourhood of V4 countries. Undoubtedly, one of the essential issues is migration, which has had a major impact on the overall political, economic and sociological conditions in the broader region.

After 1990 mobility has rapidly increased in the region generating mass (out)migration, and contributing to the evolvement of the lately described phenomena of circular migration. While the main direction of the migration is from Central and Eastern European countries to the older member states of the EU, V4 countries have also been effected as target (partly due to certain historic and ethnic linkages) and transit countries. EU integration of Visegrad counties, especially the implementation of Schengen border control system has installed new boundaries between the EU member V4 countries and their Eastern partners, hampering free movement and already existing personal, institutional and economic relations.

The aim of the meeting is also a book launch, presentation of the final project publication titled “ Discovering migration between Visegrad countries and Eastern Partners ”, and a photo exhibition, result of the EASTmig photo contest “My experience of migration”.

The Organizers

Location: Hotel Novotel Danube, Budapest, Bem rakpart 33-34. (“Batthyány tér” M2, H5, tram 19, 41)