Brussels, 17/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - The social partners feel that encouraging better integration and fair involvement on the labour markets is the “only way” to demonstrate solidarity, build social cohesion and prevent social uprisings and the rejection of refugees and migrants in the European Union.
According to representatives of workers (ETUC), employers (CEEP, BusinessEurope, UEAPME) and chambers of commerce (Eurochambres), the integration of migrants on the labour markets in a way that respects equal treatment and opportunities with national workers is crucial in a period characterised by an ageing population and high unemployment, despite the number of vacant skilled and unskilled job vacancies. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday 16 March after the Tripartite Social Summit (see separate article), the social partners said that legal migration from third countries is one of the answers to guarantee our future prosperity and overcome the challenges linked to demographic change.
In order to facilitate the integration of migrants, the signatory organisations pointed out that along with local communities, they are contributing to the organisation of integration and language courses. They recommend greater synergy when it comes to assessing and monitoring refugees' skills. They call for the establishment of a pan-European programme for the provision of training and courses for these people, including in transit and destination countries both in the EU and on its borders.
In order to provide relief for companies having to bear the cost of looking after refugees, the social partners call for the use of the budget flexibility in the Stability and Growth Pact.
Recognising the need for greater control of the EU's external borders, they deplore the unilateral shutting of borders within the Schengen area of free movement. In their statement, they say that damaging or destroying the Schengen area would seriously disturb value creation chains and end up destroying jobs and reducing the creation of wealth. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)