The EU migration crisis – Getting the numbers right

The EU has a reputation for setting good standards. During the migration crisis, the humanitarian sector (non-governmental and international organisations) criticised the Union for letting its standards slip. Yet the problem all too often came down to numbers – and their reliability.

A regulatory superpower like the EU is only as strong as its knowledge base, and the EU’s statistical picture of the migration flows remains very partial – leaving it dependent on other actors, who may exploit this weakness to promote their own agenda.