The United States, the European Union, and EU Member States face some similar challenges and opportunities in the field of human mobility and migration, despite the differences between them. As they deal with shifting economic, demographic, and geopolitical circumstances and priorities, not to mention the legacy of a deep recession and a rapidly changing neighbourhood, policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic must ensure that their immigration systems are resilient, flexible, and responsive.

The Conference address the future direction for EU and US immigration policies, drawing on the outcomes of research resulting from the European project Improving EU and US Immigration Systems' Capacity for Responding to Global Challenges: Learning from experiences. Co-funded by the European Commission and directed by the Migration Policy Center (MPC – Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies – European University Institute, Florence) and its partner institution, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), this project has produced a series of research papers and policy briefs that analyze shared challenges on either side of the Atlantic, from demographic change, competitiveness, and immigrant integration, to border security, development, and cooperation with sending countries. The rationale for this project is to identify the ways in which EU and US immigration systems can be substantially improved in order to address the major challenges policymakers face.