Brussels, 01/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - European immigration Commissioner Franco Frattini, speaking at the London School of Economics on 23 February, unveiled the next stages in a wide-ranging plan to put in place a common asylum system by 2010, combat illegal immigration and promote legal immigration, three interlinked concepts.
Asylum - By 2010, asylum policy should be harmonised at European level, the European Council of December 2006 confirmed. On that date, a uniform asylum status, valid throughout the EU, should be in place. To achieve this end, the Commission is advancing in three different directions: - developing a single procedure of assessing requests for international protection; - setting out common arrangements to spread the load of asylum requests and the management of reception centres for refugees; - and putting in place a list of “safe” countries, to which those who have been refused asylum can be sent. A green paper on these issues will be brought forward in June 2007.
Illegal immigration - This is by far the area where member states are least unwilling to cooperate. With border protection measures, particularly through the European border agency - Frontex - being strengthened (see EUROPE 9367), the Commission will, in early May, present a communication on the management of the EU's eastern border, and, in late May, a draft directive to beef up sanctions against employers using illegal workers. Mr Frattini is also scheduled to announce, at the start of May, a communication, which will sit halfway between combating illegal immigration and promoting legal immigration. This communication will set out the overall approach on migration and in it there will be a series of concrete proposals, such as, the creation of “cooperation platforms” in Africa, which would allow legal requests for migration to Europe to be centralised.
Legal immigration- With 20 million fewer workers by 2050, the EU will face huge problems (pensions, health insurance, decline in growth etc.). It is this projection that is encouraging the Commission to legislate through several draft directives. In September 2007, it will propose, firstly, the introduction of a “blue card” similar to the US “green card”, to attract the best qualified immigrants. Thereafter will follow four other proposals on: minimum guaranteed rights for these immigrants (in September 2007), legal entry into the EU for seasonal workers (2008), payment for trainees (2008), and the temporary stay and residence of intra-corporate transferees (ICT). (bc)