Brussels, 18/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - As Commissioner Philippe Busquin never fails to point out (see, notably, EUROPE of 18 March, p.9), Europe needs to take on at least 700,000 new scientists by 2001. In order to fulfil this need, it has become essential to improve the European Union's attractiveness to third-country scientists. It was against this backdrop that the European Commission has just adopted a raft of proposals to facilitate the entry and residency of scientists from third countries.
The fruit of work carried out jointly by the services of Philippe Busquin (research) and the Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, Antonio Vitorino, this package contains:
a proposed directive on a specific admissions procedure for third-country nationals for the purposes of scientific research: this text proposes giving research bodies with national accreditation a leading role in the procedure of admitting foreign researchers by signing a hosting agreement with them. This will guarantee that the host body will be responsible for the scientist, and will involve a residency permit being granted for the duration of the research work, or for a period of one year renewably. During their stay, scientists will enjoy equality of treatment with nationals regarding: 1) recognition of qualifications, 2) working conditions; 3) social security, 4) tax advantages, 5) access to goods and services and the provision of goods and services available to the public. This new residency permit will also afford them the mobility to complete part of the research project on the territory of another Member State.
two proposed recommendations: the Commission feels that pending the adoption of this directive, the Council should propose to call upon the Member States to start facilitating the admission and residency of foreign scientists now. The Commission proposes that the Council adopt a recommendation on the conditions for granting uniform short-stay visas for third-country scientists moving within the Community. In the second recommendation, Member States are called upon 1) to facilitate the admission of scientists, either by exempting them from work permits or by making sure that this permit is granted by rights; 2) not to limit admission quotas for third-country nationals for research posts; 3) to set a maximum of 30 days to grant residency permits; 4) to guarantee that the residency permit can be renewed; 5) to get the research bodies involved in the procedure; 6) facilitate family regrouping for scientists; 7) appoint a contact person in their embassies to oversee the admission of third-country scientists.