Franco Avena, pictured, was appointed president of the CNE in 2018 CNE

Franco Avena, pictured, was appointed president of the CNE in 2018 CNE

Created in 2008, the CNE is an essential body in a country whose proportion of foreign residents topped 47% this year. However, stepping up to the role has been far from easy for new members. Elected in July 2017, they then had to wait for the appointment of representatives for civil society associations and unions like Syvicol, before being able to begin work.

They finally met for the first time in January 2018, since when work has progressed. Led by president Franco Avena and vice president Claire Geier-Courquin, the CNE has created six commissions: migrants and cross-border workers; refugees and applicants for international protection; youth, education and continuing education; civic participation and liaison with associations; and finally, seniors.

“We have chosen topics that are closest to the reality of the country,” Avena told Paperjam. The CNE met on 28 March to ratify the composition of each commission.

The committees will study and report back to the president on various topics, which will be submitted to plenary meetings, Avena explained.

Other working groups will also be created, for example, to deal with internal and external communication of the CNE, the issue of dual nationalities and languages.

Among the first projects new members will work on will be the multi-year national integration action plan, requested by Luxembourg integration office Olai.

Family minister Corinne Cahen has, meanwhile, given the go-ahead to the CNE to submit proposals to improve its functioning, according to a response to a parliamentary question by David Wagner.