Thirty Years of Impact: The Migration Policy Group’s Enduring Legacy and Future Vision
In 2025, MPG marked three decades at the forefront of advancing inclusive, evidence-based migration, integration, and anti-discrimination policies across the EU and beyond. What began as a bold idea in the 1990s – to bring together fragmented voices into a European conversation on migration, equality and inclusion- has grown into one of the most respected and influential independent think tanks in its field.
Across these thirty years, MPG’s impact has been felt not only in European policymaking but also in the lives of people and communities it has helped empower. From shaping landmark EU directives on racial equality to coordinating networks that bridge policy makers, civil society, academia, and institutions, the organisation has contributed to build the foundations of the EU modern equality framework.
To mark its 30th anniversary, MPG organsied a year-long campaign of videos, essays, and testimonials featuring policymakers, funders, academics, civil society partners, and its board and staff – inviting its community of friends and collaborators to reflect on three decades of impact and to help shape the future of migration, anti-discrimination and inclusion in Europe.
A Legacy of Building Bridges
Contributors from across Europe consistently describe MPG’s work as a model of how collaboration can drive progress. In its early years, MPG created spaces for dialogue where none existed – bringing together NGOs, government officials, and European institutions to address migration and discrimination in ways that were both visionary and pragmatic.
Through initiatives such as the Migration News Sheet providing monthly information on asylum, migration and discrimination in the EU for from 1981 until 2017, the Starting Line Group, , and later the Migrant Integration Policy Index, MPG turned research into public knowledge and action. It helped move Europe from fragmented national approaches to coordinated, rights-based frameworks. Its role in the creation of networks such as the European Network Against Racism, European Equality Law Network and EQUINET ensured that knowledge and cooperation could flourish across borders.
Over time, this collaborative model became MPG’s signature strength. Partners speak of an organisation that listens, convenes, and connects – linking the grassroots with the Brussels policy world, and ensuring that migrant, refugee, and minority voices inform the policies that affect them. From initiatives to support migrant entrepreneurship in European cities to research and policy recommendations on structural racism at the European level, MPG has consistently combined academic rigour with real-world impact. Its work on political participation for more than a decade directly involves people with migrant background in ensuring access to their right to vote and to act as multipliers in order to inform and reach out to their communities. MPG has always used a bottom up approach, assessing first the needs of the communities at stake, involving grass roots organisations and emerging migrant leaders in order to have these voices heard. The close contacts and continued collaboration with these stakeholders contributes to leading the EU towards a more inclusive society.
A Standard of Professionalism and Trust
MPG’s success has also rested on its integrity and professionalism. For institutions, funders, and activists alike, it is seen as a trusted and credible source of knowledge – one that unites passion with precision. Its evidence-based approach has helped shape the EU’s anti-discrimination directives, informed national equality laws, and strengthened accountability across the continent.
Contributors frequently highlight the people behind the organisation – their collegiality, fairness, and commitment. MPG is recognised not only for what it does, but how it does it: through respectful partnerships, transparent collaboration, and an unwavering dedication to equality and justice.
Looking Ahead: Resilience, Courage, and Renewal
As Europe faces growing challenges – political polarisation, democratic backsliding, and persistent structural inequalities – MPG’s mission is as vital as ever. The testimonies collected for its 30th anniversary form a collective call to “hold the line”: to defend fundamental rights and the values that have guided MPG since its creation.
Contributors see MPG’s future role as one of both continuity and renewal. They call on it to remain courageous in confronting discrimination, to deepen its intersectional and youth-focused approaches, and to keep amplifying the leadership of migrant- and refugee-led organisations. They see its strength in bridging worlds – research and practice, policy and people – and in continuing to ensure that Europe’s policies are shaped by evidence and guided by inclusion.
Many also stress that the coming decades will require resilience and creativity. MPG’s vast experience, networks, and reputation form the perfect foundation for new collaborations – within Europe and globally. The task ahead is to make full use of this legacy to address the new realities of migration, climate mobility, and social transformation.
A Shared Journey
The story of MPG’s thirty years is not just about an organisation – it is about a community. Academics, policymakers, civil society leaders, and activists who have worked with MPG speak of shared achievements and mutual trust built over decades. Together, they have shaped the frameworks that define equality and inclusion in Europe today.
As MPG enters its fourth decade, the message from its partners is clear: its combination of independence, expertise, and humanity remains indispensable. The challenges ahead are complex, but so too are the opportunities – to strengthen rights, foster belonging, and build a Europe that reflects the best of its ideals.
MPG’s journey continues – not only as a think and do tank, but as a movement rooted in collaboration, evidence, and a deep belief in the power of equality to transform societies.
Indeed the current climate and situation makes it difficult for organisations like MPG to continue their missions, but we remain more than ever dedicated to continue.
About the Migration Policy Group (MPG)
MPG is an independent think-and-do-tank based in Brussels. MPG’s purpose is rooted in its ability to inspire networks to provide evidence-based projects, research and campaigns in the areas of integration, migration and anti-discrimination.