Today and tomorrow the European Economic and Social Committee is hosting the seventh meeting of the European Integration Forum in the form of a public hearing on the issue of the right to family reunification of third country nationals. Our President, Staffan Nilsson, welcomed European Commissioner Cecilia Malmström at the beginning of the meeting this morning. A series of thematic panels will discuss integration measures; the application process; asylum-related issues; and fraudulent practices. The European Integration Forum, launched in April 2009 by the European Commission and the EESC, brings together representatives of civil society organisations active in the area of integration of immigrants. It gives them an opportunity to express their views on these issues, in particular relating to the EU agenda on integration, so that they can give an important political input to its elaboration. The family reunification issue was the subject of a recent public consultation held by the European Commission. Given the high number of contributions received, it was decided that the Forum would be the most appropriate arena to deepen the discussion with representatives of civil society organisations.Therefore the meeting is in the form of a public hearing. All those who contributed in writing to the public consultation have been invited to it.