Brussels, 26/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - A new debate surrounding the proposed “blue card” directive, which aims to attract skilled workers from third countries, has thrown up a new set of questions. The project, which was presented by the European Commission in October 2007 (EUROPE 9529 and EUROPE 9560) and is designed to compensate for the lack of workers in certain sectors by attracting highly qualified workers from third countries, was the subject of a hearing between MEPs and experts on Wednesday 25 June at the European Parliament in Brussels. A consultation report will be examined by the civil liberties committee on 14-15 July. In the view of German MEP Ewa Klamt (EPP-ED), the text's rapporteur, the EU is “not attractive” to qualified workers from third countries; one only has to look at the 95 000 unfilled engineering posts in Germany. In her view, this is due to the presence of “27 different and illegible admission systems” in the EU. Nonetheless, bringing the systems closer together, such as through the harmonisation of minimum wages, for example, promises to be “particularly arduous”, explained Sergio Carrera from the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). Moreover, the proposal could bring about the application of “different rights”, and its sectoral approach could create “discrimination”, he said. Speaking for the European Trade Union Confederation, Catelene Passchier said it was “difficult to explain that we are going to make use of immigration when some countries have problems with unemployment”. Furthermore, the fact of high level posts being occupied by migrant workers who are paid less than Community citizens could create “unfair competition”. Faced with the risk of a brain drain, Armando França (PES, Portugal) declared “major doubts” over the validity of this proposal. Given the Community restrictions still applied by some member states, Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP-ED, Romania) wondered how it was possible that some EU nationals could have fewer rights than people coming from outside the Union. (B.C./transl.fl)