How can the individual benefits of migration translate into societal benefits for the regions people leave behind? PREMIUM_EU will use original research to find out why and offer tailor-made policies that counter the migration patterns which harm remote regions.
Migration is a contentious issue in many parts of Europe, and policies that are seen as too favorable to migrants often face opposition from local communities. Shifts in labour sectors, housing shortages, integration tensions. These are some of many concerns receiving countries have about migrant flows.
On the other hand, many remote regions face the opposite reality. People are moving and no migrants are arriving to replace them. When highly skilled workers migrate out of a region this can have negative impacts on the economy and social fabric of the region. Loss of talent and expertise combined with an aging population leaves communities in crisis.
What will PREMIUM_EU do?
PREMIUM_EU is built on the premise that spatial mobility, or the ability of people to move freely between different regions, can offer new opportunities to both sending and receiving regions. Europe’s population would shrink dramatically without migration. This project seeks to identify the positive effects of migration that are often overlooked.The lengthy acronym outlines the goal concisely: “Policy REcommendations to Maximise the beneficial Impact of Unexplored Mobilities in and beyond the European Union”.
There are three research milestones that come together to achieve the main goal, which is a Regional Policy Dashboard. A palette of concrete policy actions that European regions can choose from.
Project milestones
- PREMIUM_EU sets out to explore why people move, where they move, and what makes them stay and settle. The opening milestone, the Mobility Module, will collect unique data from social media to help us gain insight into key drivers of migration flows.
- A closer look at the regions. Both the regions which people move away from and the ones they flock to. The Regional Development Effects Module will identify the spatial effects of mobility on the economic, social, and environmental conditions of both sending and receiving regions.
- An evidence-based palette of feasible regional policy alternatives for turning the individual benefits of mobility into societal benefits. The Regional Policy Module and Dashboard helps policymakers design policies that benefit both migrants and host communities, promoting inclusive and sustainable regional development.
Nordregio is leading the policy analysis and AI-generated policy dashboard during the third milestone, as well as leading communications throughout the entire project, including publications, events/conferences, stakeholder engagement, press, research newsletters etc.
How does PREMIUM_EU work?
Led by Leo Van Wissen, Senior Researcher and former director of Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, the project is funded by EU Horizon with a lifespan of three years. The project involves a consortium of ten partners from nine countries (see full list at the bottom of the page). Universities and research institutions from across and outside of Europe, which ensures that the project is able to draw on a diverse range of expertise.
To achieve its goals, PREMIUM_EU employs a multidisciplinary approach that combines social and economic analysis, stakeholder engagement, and policy development. The project uses a range of research methods, including quantitative and qualitative analysis, case studies, and policy analysis.
The PREMIUM_EU consortium
Nordregio
Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences: Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute NIDI
Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen
Statistics Denmark
Oslo Metropolitan University
Cracow University of Economics
Centre for Demographic Studies
Hecettepe Universitesi
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Max Planck Gesellschaft: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
