In 2016 alone, European Union member states granted protection to more than 700,000 asylum seekers. Rather than characterising it as a crisis, the achievement could instead be seen as a success story.

As refugees continue to pour into Europe, there has been a shift towards treating migration as a whole-of-government endeavour. This is a good thing, says Director of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe, Elizabeth Collett.

Collett discussed migration as a global issue, and possible strategies for success with Australian and European leaders at the recent EU-Australia Senior and Emerging Leaders’ Forum on 5 June. After her presentation, she she sat down with Cameron Steer, Editor of Australian Outlook. Among other topics, they discussed the pressure put on unstable states to police outward migration and the extent to which the EU and Australia can learn from each other’s migration policies.

Collett argued that Australia’s separation of asylum application and territoriality is not a policy that can be emulated elsewhere; however, Australia’s success in integrating immigrant populations is a great model from which the EU could learn.

Elizabeth Collett is founding director of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe, and is senior advisor to the MPI’s Transatlantic Council on Migration.

Interviewed by Editor of Australian Outlook, Cameron Steer.