https://door.donau-uni.ac.at/o:5693 Towards the more effective use of irregular migration data Appriou, Adèle Adèle Appriou Migration Policy Institute Europe, Belgium Slootjes, Jasmijn Jasmijn Slootjes 0000-0002-2658-7554 Migration Policy Institute Europe, Belgium Sohst, Rhea Ravenna Rhea Ravenna Sohst 0000-0002-5721-6991 Migration Policy Institute Europe, Belgium text eng Key points • Irregular migration data is used to inform decisions across sectors—from service planning and public debate to policy design—but remains poorly aligned with the needs of those expected to use it. This chapter examines how different stakeholders rely on the data, and where gaps emerge. • We introduce the data pathway to show how data on irregular migration are defined, collected, shared, and interpreted. At each stage, competing mandates, vague concepts, and inconsistent practices risk undermining coherence and usability. • Five core challenges, such as gaps in availability, ambiguous definitions and low data literacy, limit the value of the data. Legal and institutional barriers, particularly a lack of knowledge about the implication of the GDPR, further constrain responsible sharing and can erode trust. • Improving data use requires more than technical or methodological improvements. It calls for clearer definitions, accessible documentation, stronger privacy protections, and sustained investment in the capacity of those who collect and use the data. Data use Stakeholders GDPR Data challenges Policy impact http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ https://door.donau-uni.ac.at/api/object/o:5693/download 10.48341/g31s-vq79-11 https://door.donau-uni.ac.at/o:5698 application/pdf 121 128 649.12 kB 2025-09-30