Between 12 and 14 July, 2017 Center for the Study of Democracy organised a study visit to Barcelona for the purpose of acquainting representatives of relevant institutions with the system of reception and integration of asylum seekers and refugees in Catalonia. The Bulgarian delegation included representatives of the State Agency for Refugees at the Council of Ministers, the Bulgarian Red Coss, CVS Bulgaria and CSD. The study visit was joined by delegations from Greece, Italy and Malta and was hosted by the service providing organisation Catalan Commission for Refugees(CCAR).

The international delegation visited range of institutions such as reception centers in Barcelona, Sabadell and Sant Boi, different local municipalities and service providing organisations such as ACCEM, the Autonomous Solidarity Foundation, ACATHI and Centre Exil. In addition to the study visit, the 18 participants from Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Malta took part in an international seminar and had the opportunity to discuss matters relating to reception, integration and training of asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection with representatives of the Spanish Commission for Refugees, the Equality, Migration and Citizenship Department at the Catalan Government and the Barcelona city Council. In a final debate all participants exchanged information and experience coming from their own countries and discussed good practices in relation to what they learned from the Catalan experience.