Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants
Budget
€1 — €250
EP Access
5
accredited persons
Staff
10
8.75 FTE
EU Grants
€988,190
Mission & Goals
The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) is a Brussels-based network of 155 organisations working across 32 countries to ensure social rights and social inclusion for undocumented migrants in Europe. As the only European civil society network focused exclusively on the social situation of people with an insecure or irregular status, PICUM's work concerns millions of people living and working in what often are extreme forms of poverty, discrimination, abuse and social exclusion and those providing them services or advocating for their rights. PICUM was founded as a non-profit organisation under Belgian law in 2001 by a small number of local and national organisations working with migrants facing poverty and marginalisation to serve as a voice on their social inclusion and rights at EU-level and as a space for translational learning and exchange.
EU Legislative Interests
PICUM was set up by national and local organisations working on the social rights of undocumented migrants in local communities to raise issues related to their rights and welfare at the EU level. Closing the gap between local and EU level and facilitating the exchange of information, evidence and practical solutions amongst constituencies on national, local and EU levels is at the heart of PICUM’s mission. PICUM supports the implementation of the following EU policy areas to advance social, employment and child rights across EU member states for the most excluded groups, including undocumented adults and children: • The European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), the EPSR Action plan; • EU legislation on violence against women and domestic violence, EU Victims’ rights directive; • EU Pact on migration and asylum including the Screening Regulation, the amended Asylum Procedures Regulation, the Crisis Regulation, the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, and the amended Eurodac Regulation, as well as other connected policies such as the Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion, the Facilitators’ package including the Facilitation Directive and Europol regulation, the draft Return Regulation, the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, the Schengen’s border code, the European border and coast guard regulation, Long-term residents’ directive; • EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the Communication on the Protection of Children in Migration, the Communication on Integration Child Protection Systems, European Child Guarantee; • the Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030); • Platform Workers’ Directive, Directive on Minimum Wages, Single Permit Directive, Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Regulation banning products made with forced labour; Anti-trafficking directive; • Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 including the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF and upcoming Commission proposal for the next MFF 2028–2034; • Artificial intelligence act; • European Care Strategy.
Communication Activities
PICUM’s communication strategy advances PICUM’s organisational aims and objectives. It aims at disseminating key messages and evidence regarding the impacts of the above mentioned EU policies on the social inclusion of undocumented migrants and migrants at risk of losing their status with expert audiences and the general public at EU and national level. The communications team also informs a wide range of stakeholders about the impact and effectiveness of EU policy processes and coordinates transnational efforts to engage and influence better policy making. Examples of recent communication activities include: Reports: PICUM, The impact of regularisation measures on people, institutions and wider society; PICUM, Why inclusive, needs-based social policies matter; PICUM, Criminalisation of migration and solidarity in the EU – 2024 report Press releases: New Returns Regulation ushers in dystopian detention and deportation regime, 11.03.25 ; At least 142 people criminalised for helping migrants in Europe in 2024, 29.04.25 ; Return Regulation: JHA Council endorses police raids of private homes to search for migrants 08.12.25 Blogposts: Resisting an increasingly hostile environment, 27.05.25 Other communication activities include LinkedIn (currently at over 32,000 followers, up from 24,000 in 2024) and Instagram (currently at over 4,600 followers, up from 3,450 in 2024). Our monthly newsletter gathers a significant number of subscribers on LinkedIn (currently at around 16,500 subscribers, up from 12,300 subscribers in 2024).
Interests Represented
Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members
Member Of
European NGO Platform on Migration and Asylum (Member) European Anti-Poverty Network (Member) La Strada International (LSI) NGO Platform (Partner) Social Platform (member)
Organisation Members
PICUM has 155 member organizations http://picum.org/members/
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.