Enhancing cooperation among the Prague Process states

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15 February 2019

Briefs

The current socio-economic and policy context in Georgia combined with the European Union’s (EU) high demand for labour puts Georgia in a particularly advantageous position regarding developing circular (labour) migration schemes (CMS). Two pilot CMS implemented by Georgia in the past illustrate the potential for the implementation of further CMS, which remained unused by the state until today. This policy brief provides a comparative analysis of the two pilot CMS, explores lessons learned from these projects and defines certain conditions under which future CMS could succeed. The main priority for the state in this regard should be the establishment of appropriate institutional conditions for the implementation of CMS and the improvement of legal frameworks. Future CMS should target semi-skilled and underemployed workers in Georgia with the objective of improving their qualifications and ensuring their social and labour rights are prioritized.

Implementing CMS should be an inclusive and transparent process, in which all stakeholders, including the state, partner countries, migrants, private, and non-governmental sectors have realistic and well-informed expectations and share mutually agreed responsibilities and goals. Moreover, along with creating strong return and reintegration mechanisms, effective monitoring and evaluation practices need to be set for measuring progress and impact of CMS.

Authors

Natia Mestvirishvili, Researcher at the SCMI Secretariat in Georgia. This publication was produced in the framework of the ‘Prague Process: Dialogue, Analyses and Training in Action’ initiative, a component of the Mobility Partnership Facility II project, with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and the 'Prague Process: Dialogue, Analyses and Training in Action’ initiative, and can in no way represent the views of the European Union.