Cooperation with third countries in promoting regular migration into the EU (Information report)

Information report: Cooperation with third countries in promoting regular migration into the EU (Information report)

Practical information:

Composition of the Study Group

Administrator in charge: Georges-Henry Carrard, Assistant: Samar Khanafer

 

Keypoints:

  • The EU approach to legal labour migration has, to date, been very fragmented and limited. The EESC considers that European immigration policy should take a strategic medium and long-term view and focus on providing a holistic and comprehensive approach to open and flexible legal channels for entry into the EU.
  • The EESC strongly believes that EU labour migration policy should be linked to the EU's labour market policy. Consequently, this would require the involvement of the social partners in helping to manage the procedures for access and admission.
  • The EESC therefore proposes that the EU promotes, in dialogue with third countries, a new generation of mobility partnership that includes flexible systems for mobility and legal procedures for labour migration to the EU.
  • In negotiating these agreements, account should be taken of the various bilateral agreements that the Member States have concluded with various third countries and positive examples and good practices should be drawn from these agreements.  Therefore, the EESC urges the Commission, and in particular the Directorates responsible for employment and immigration policies, to gather the current experiences between the EU Member States and third countries regarding regular access for labour migrants.
  • The labour market integration of third-country nationals should be supported by pre-departure and post-arrival training and skills-development programmes, as well as, specific job search support services. The non-recognition of diplomas and qualifications reduces the potential pool of qualified migrant workers from which EU employers can fill their vacancies, not to mention that this constitutes a crucial obstacle towards achieving the objectives of an EU labour migration and labour market policy. Therefore an effective recognition of diplomas and qualifications through formal and non-formal learning needs to be developed.

Related EESC Opinions: