Brussels, 09/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - EU interior ministers were circumspect in their response, in Brussels on Thursday, to the European Commission proposal for a “blue card” to attract the most highly qualified workers to Europe. During the first public discussion, several states pointed out that legal immigration and employment policy were matters for member states. On 23 October, the Commission brought forward two proposals (see EUROPE 9529 and 9530). The first was for a “blue card”, a European version of the renowned US green card for foreign workers. The second proposal sought to bring the rights of third country workers more into line with those of European citizens. For these proposals to become law they will have to receive the support of all 27 member states.
First to speak were those who supported the proposals: Portuguese Interior Minister Rui Pereira, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, and European Immigration Commissioner Franco Frattini, present to argue for his own proposals. “It is important to have effective management of legal immigration, since this is key to the EU's economic and social development. I, therefore, welcome these proposals,” said Pereira opening the debate. Frattini gave a quick summary of the contents of the two proposals, and tried to reassure the ministers by saying that he wanted to “respect the principle of Community preference” as provided for in the treaties and “not interfere” with the responsibility of member states to determine how many workers were needed for their national economies. He said, however, that states would “have to remove obstacles” to the free movement of workers from the new member states, so that they were at no disadvantage compared with qualified third country workers. Spanish Secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration Maria Consuelo Rumi Ibanez supported the proposals, opining that “ordered immigration” was not in any way contradictory with the policy being pursued by her country. “This is a strong message to third country nationals who want to come and work in the EU,” she said. Dutch Secretary of State for Justice Nebahat Albayrak went as far as to say that the “blue card” proposal did not go far enough, noting that “there must be as little red tape as possible if we want to attract these most highly qualified workers”. She felt, however, that the “single permit” for all migrant workers went “too far” since it could encourage immigrants to stay for an extended period of time in the EU.
Austrian Interior Minister Günther Platter was more restrained, saying that, in his country, legal immigration was “a possibility” and “not a right” in the labour market. He, too, was against a worker from a third country being able, after an initial two-year period, to move to another European state, without that second host state being consulted. He felt that immigration had become longer-lasting and led to integration problems. “The issue of legal immigration remains a state responsibility and will remain so in the future,” declared German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, although he felt that the proposals merited further consideration to avoid any misunderstanding. Swedish Immigration Minister Tobias Billström said his country already had “flexible” and “effective” rules, and, consequently, there should “not be too much legislation at European level” so as to leave member states a “certain latitude”. He also felt that employment and economy ministers should be involved along with their home affairs colleagues in such issues.
The more moderate states felt that the general thrust of the proposals was right, but that there had to be more detail. France, through its ambassador Pierre Sellal, reminded the meeting that it wanted to foster “chosen, targeted immigration”, but that there had to be a closer definition of what was meant by “highly qualified workers”. Many other states, such as Finland, Cyprus and Greece, shared that point of view. The Greek representative pointed out that it had to be left to countries to decide in which cases the procedure for a single permit should apply: he took the example of students, for whom rights of residence should be limited in time. Italy pointed out that the impression must not be given to developing countries that they were being deprived of their best talent.
Setting up a common legal immigration policy came within the context of the creation of the area of freedom, security and justice, as set out by The Hague programme. Opening up possibilities for legal immigration from third countries was confirmed by heads of state and government at the European Council in June (see EUROPE 9452). However, even though Commissioner Frattini is confident of getting conclusions on legal and illegal immigration adopted by the end of December, the odds are that the debate, particularly on legal immigration, will go on for a long time yet. The proposals, along with others on sanctions against employers of illegal workers, and on immigrants' rights, will be debated once again at a joint meeting of interior and labour ministers on 6 December. (B.C.)