The first workshop on the National Roadmap on migration statistics brought together relevant stakeholders in the country to exchange views and provide feedback. Taking into consideration the different data practices and levels of alignment with the EU methodologies and standards on migration statistics, IOM has developed a National Road Map on Migration Statistics for each of the six beneficiary Countries in the Western Balkans. The National Road Maps follow a common guiding template, and include information on available migration data, migration statistics stakeholders, statistics reporting and exchange practices, legislative and operational gaps, solutions for the identified gaps, and a timeline of activities to be undertaken in all Beneficiary countries. 

Under Phase 1 (2016-2019) of the EU-funded IPA II Regional Program “Regional Support to Protection Sensitive Migration Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey”, IOM supported the migration management authorities in the Western Balkans in developing capacities and systems for effective systematization, collection and regional exchange of non-personal migration statistics.

In light of this, IOM developed the Regional Platform for Migration Data Exchange in the Western Balkans (WB-MIDEX) as an online mechanism which allows migration management authorities in the Western Balkans to exchange migration statistics through pre-defined templates which are in line with the EU migration statistics standards and methodologies, in particular EC Regulation 862/2007. The statistics exchanged through the platform relate to both regular and irregular migration and will be published publicly, allowing for comprehensive analysis of migration trends. WB-MIDEX was completed in August 2019, and is hosted by MARRI Regional Centre.

Under Phase 2 of the Regional IPA II Project (2019-2021), IOM is continuing its support to the migration management authorities of the Western Balkans in aligning their migration data frameworks, procedures and practices with EC Regulation 862/2007, and in furthering harmonization of migration statistics within the region, thus enabling a facilitated and streamlined exchange of relevant migration statistics through WB-MIDEX.