Brussels, 22/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - In a communication published on 21 May and jointly prepared by Commissioners Malmström (Home Affairs) and Piebalgs (Development), the European Commission presented the ideas it will submit to the UN on 3 and 4 October of this year as part of a dialogue on international migration and development, it has announced in a press release.
Its communication (“Maximising the Development Impact of Migration”) responds to the objective laid down by this meeting, which is to create a global governance of migration and to take steps to “promote the role of migrants as agents of innovation and development”, the Commission explains.
Among other things, the communication recommends ensuring that “development strategies recognise migration and mobility as 'enabling factors' for development”, respecting the fundamental rights of migrants irrespective of their legal status, paying greater attention to the links between climate change, the worsening of the environment and migration and recognising the “challenges that increasing urbanisation and migration bring for cities and urban regions”.
The communication goes on to suggest reinforcing the governance of migration by means of bilateral and regional cooperation, getting civil society involved in this process and promoting the regional and global mobility of the workforce.
The total number of international migrants has risen from 150 million in 2000 to 214 million in 2010, according to the ILO. More than half of these migrants live in low-income or moderate-income countries and many developing countries are also countries of origin and destination for migrants. The EU is also, the Commission points out, the largest donor of development aid in the world. Between 2004 and 2012, the Commission gave nearly €1 billion to more than 400 migration-related projects. (SP/transl.fl)