In September and October 2017, the European Resettlement Network convened three meetings on complementary pathways of admission for refugees to engage relevant stakeholders in a fruitful stocktaking and prompt a forward-looking reflection. The input contributed by participants will feed into ERN+ feasibility studies on complementary pathways.

On 28 September, the European Resettlement Network held an informal roundtable with about 30 participants in Berlin to lead a structured open discussion on how to enhance existing humanitarian admission programmes and develop a sustainable model for future ones.

On 18 October, the European Resettlement Network, in collaboration with the Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), hosted a second roundtable in Paris focusing on private sponsorship of refugees in France. Over 20 participants joined the event, including government counterparts, international organisations, faith-based organisations, NGOs, research institutes, as well as Canadian actors involved in private sponsorship and resettlement. The roundtable aimed to encourage an open discussion on private sponsorship, through an exchange of experiences and suggestions on how to strengthen, better structure and streamline sponsorship programmes.

On 26 October, the European Resettlement Network hosted a third roundtable in The Hague on higher education scholarship opportunities as a pathway of admission to Europe for refugees. More than 35 participants from the Netherlands and other European countries attended the event, sharing important reflections and discussing possible modalities for higher education programmes allowing refugees to reach Europe in safety.