18 IMMIGRATION, INTEGRATION AND EMPLOYMENT
(24604)
10293/03
COM(03) 336
+ ADD1
| Commission Communication on immigration, integration and employment;
and Commission staff working paper: Extended Impact Assessment on the
Communication on immigration, integration and employment.
|
| Legal base | —
|
| Document originated | 3 June 2003
|
| Deposited in Parliament |
16 June 2003 |
| Department | Home Office
|
| Basis of consideration |
EM of 1 July 2003 |
| Previous Committee Report |
None |
| To be discussed in Council
| Date not set |
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | Cleared
|
Background
18.1 This Communication has its roots in the conclusions
of the Tampere European Council, which identified "fair treatment
of third country nationals" as one of the elements of a common
European immigration and asylum policy.[52]
In November 2000, the Commission produced a major Communication
on immigration policy indicating how it planned to implement the
conclusions.[53] Since
then, the Commission has undertaken work on all the elements identified
at Tampere except for those aspects of the fair treatment of third
country nationals concerned with integration.
The documents
18.2 This Communication seeks to fill the gap. It sets
out the Commission's assessment of the current position on the
integration of migrants in the EU and on the nature and effects
of immigration flows. It also proposes guidelines to promote
the settlement and social inclusion of immigrants.
18.3 The Impact Assessment (ADD1) sets out
in very general terms the likely costs and benefits of the approach
to migration set out in the Communication, together with an assessment
of some alternative approaches. The introduction acknowledges
that the exercise has been difficult and that there is inevitably
a degree of overlap with the Communication itself.
18.4 The first section of the Communication
outlines the current framework for integration in the EU, focussing
in particular on relevant EU legislation and policy initiatives.
Among the most significant of these are the proposed directives
on the status of third county nationals who are long-term residents,[54]
the conditions of entry and residence of third country nationals
for employment,[55] and
the directive on the right to family reunification.[56]
The relevance of the European Employment Strategy, the anti-discrimination
directives[57] and initiatives
in the field of social inclusion are also emphasised.
18.5 The second section of the Communication
considers the nature and effects of immigration flows into the
European Union, and is a useful synthesis of current knowledge.
It concludes that migration is unlikely to fall in the near future,
but points out that, with enlargement, "part of past immigration
will become internal mobility". Previous experience, however,
suggests that internal labour mobility from new Member States
will be moderate to limited, except for border regions.
18.6 The document finds little evidence
that immigration has led to higher unemployment or to displacement
of EU nationals, although there can be adverse effects on specific
groups or sectors such as unskilled labour in services. Jobs
with low entry levels in terms of skills can give non-EU nationals
a way in to the labour market. However, they will not be in a
strong position with regard to wages or job-quality. Most studies
find that immigrants are no more dependent on welfare than their
EU national counterparts in the same social and employment situation.
18.7 The Communication highlights the potential
advantages of managed immigration for the economic performance
of EU countries against the background of expected sharp declines
in the number of EU citizens of working age. However, a detailed
analysis of possible future employment levels makes it clear that
the problem of the ageing population is of too great a scale to
be solved by managed immigration alone.
18.8 The third section discusses the integration
of immigrants. It defines integration as "the development
of a balance of rights and obligations over time", with more
rights and obligations accruing the longer a third country national
resides legally in a Member State.
18.9 The document proposes a holistic
approach to the management of integration within the EU.
That involves policies covering a whole range of areas: the labour
market; education and language skills; housing and urban issues;
health and social services; the social and cultural environment;
and nationality, citizenship and respect for diversity. The
Communication identifies categories of migrants with special needs
which must be reflected in such policies; these include refugees
and people enjoying international protection, women, and second
and third generation immigrants. It emphasises the need for recognition
of the experience and qualifications of refugees. The Communication
also points out that, while policies to combat illegal immigration
must remain vigorous, the presence of illegal migrants in the
EU and their basic rights — to emergency healthcare, for
instance — cannot be ignored when integration policies are
developed.
18.10 The Communication puts forward a number
of recommendations which are broadly endorsed in the Impact Assessment:
- speedier adoption of outstanding
legislative instruments;
- better co-ordination of integration policies,
especially those concerned with introduction programmes, language
training and participation in civic, cultural and political life;
- development of the concept of "civic citizenship";
- adoption of the employment guidelines within
the European Employment Strategy, several aspects of which are
relevant to integration within the labour market;
- reinforcing initiatives to combat social exclusion
and increase cohesion;
- strengthening the fight against discrimination;
- making use of the European reference levels (or
"benchmarks") to promote integration (especially those
related to early school leavers, reading literacy and education
attainment levels);
- improving co-operation with third countries to
facilitate orderly migration flows;
- reinforcing EU financial support for integration,
both through pilot projects and through the European Refugee Fund;
and
- improving information on migration, in part by
establishing the European Migration Network.
The Government's view
18.11 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary
of State at the Home Office (Caroline Flint) tells us:
"The Government welcomes the Communication
and Impact Assessment. None of the lines of action proposed would
cause insurmountable problems for the United Kingdom: many of
them are already being taken forward here; and the thinking in
the Communication gives the impression of having being heavily
influenced by developments in the United Kingdom. The Government
particularly welcomes the Commission's emphasis on the importance
of citizenship. It proposes to play a full part in the development
of the proposed holistic approach to integration policy, much
of which is anticipated in the White Paper Secure Borders,
Safe Haven."[58]
Conclusion
18.12 This is a helpful Communication
which discusses key issues and identifies how existing EU policies
and initiatives can promote the integration of immigrants.
18.13 While
we welcome the Minister's positive approach to the document, we
note that she makes no mention of the fact that the UK is not
participating in the proposed directives on the status of third
county nationals who are long-term residents, the conditions of
entry and residence of third country nationals for employment,
or the directive on the right to family reunification —
all cited in the Communication as key legislative instruments.
In our view, that should be set against her claim that the Communication
"gives the impression of being heavily influenced by developments
in the United Kingdom".
18.14 We clear the document.
52 Conclusions 18-21. Back
53
(21845) 11529/00; see HC 28-iii (2000-01), paragraph 3 (17 January
2001). Back
54
(22362) 8237/01; see HC 152-xxxviii (2001-02), paragraph 30 (16
October 2002). Back
55
(22627) 11803/01; see HC 152-xv (2001-02), paragraph 3 ( 30 January
2002). Back
56
(23452) 8628/02; see HC 152-xxxviii (2001-02), paragraph 32 (16
October 2002). Back
57
Directives 2000/43/EC and 2000/78/EC. Back
58
CM 5387. Back
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