Brussels, 26/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The MEPs reacted positively, by and large, to the idea of introducing a “blue card” in the EU for highly-qualified immigrants, even though there are many gaps still to plug. On Tuesday 23 October, the European Commission presented two proposed directives, one on the creation of a “blue card” and the other on the rights of migrants coming to work in the Union (EUROPE 9529 and 9530). As the president of the ALDE group, British member Graham Watson, rightly pointed out, “between now and 2030, our workforce will have to face a reduction comparable to the size of the current population of Romania (over 20 million), and so we must act now”.
Lilli Gruber (PES, Italy), who is the author of a report on legal immigration which was debated at the plenary session on Wednesday 24 October, stated that the proposed “blue card” system was a “first step in the right direction, though a timid one”. If the Community preference remains applied in broad sectors of the economy, “there is no question that there is demand for specific skills - which vary from one country to the next - which are not being filled from the inside of the EU. This means that the logical next step is to open up Europe's doors”, she said. Javier Moreno Sanchez, rapporteur on the anti-illegal integration policy, agreed: “with this card, we are concentrating on qualified workers. But we also need to establish a common status for the rest of the immigrant workers, whom we will need just as much, both demographically and economically”. The president of the committee on civil liberties, French member Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE), favourably welcomed the proposed “blue card”, but stressed that “the MEPs will need to pay close attention to clauses which will limit brain drain from the developing countries”. In the view of Lilli Gruber, Europe must make sure that it does not “pillage the reservoirs of talent from countries which need them, whilst offering nothing in exchange”. We must support the democracies and the fragile economies of these countries. Similarly, the rapporteur on immigration, Manfred Weber (EPP-ED, Germany) said that “the new rules must not increase the pressure on the millions of people unemployed within the EU”. The Italian Claudio Fava, of the PES, said that the text could be “braver”, possibly by ensuring a genuine freedom of movement for workers within the EU. Along the same lines, Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, United Kingdom) said: “Mobility is one of the fundamental liberties in the Union and restrictions imposed on a group of residents of the EU create double standards”. Disagreeing with his colleagues, UK member Philip Bradbourn (EPP-ED) described the idea of a “blue card” as the “wrong answer to the wrong question”. He feels that the EU should concern itself more with fighting illegal immigration than on the need to plug the skills gap. Even worse, this proposal will even encourage people to come to the EU in the hope of obtaining a work permit, he said. He also feels that the member states should continue to have the right to establish their own parameters when it comes to deciding who will come and work on their territory. However, some changes are needed because the Commission has not proposed withdrawing this prerogative from the member states. (B.C.)