Common immigration policy for Europe

Key points

• In its opinions the Committee has taken the view that immigration policy and legislation should fully respect the human rights of all people, equal treatment and non-discrimination. To strengthen this objective, the EESC proposes that two new common principles should be included: Fundamental Rights, and the Rule of Law and Fundamental Freedoms.
• The EESC underlines the need for the European Commission and the Member States to set up and develop a mechanism for consulting all relevant stakeholders.
• The EESC supports the Commission's proposal for a common methodology, and considers this to be an initial step towards establishing an open method of coordination. In the Committee's view, common principles should be converted into common objective indicators, which should form part of national immigration profiles. Each Member State will draw up an annual report and the Commission will produce an annual summary report, which it will forward to the European Parliament. The EESC considers that it too should be consulted in this process. On the basis of the Commission report, the Spring European Council will make a political assessment and draw up recommendations.
• The EESC would like the EU to have suitable, highly harmonised legislation, so that immigration can be channelled through legal, flexible and transparent legal procedures in which third-country nationals are fairly treated, with comparable rights and obligations to those enjoyed by EU citizens.