16 Migration and integration of third
country nationals
| (25862)
11504/04
COM(04) 508
| Commission Communication: first Annual Report on Migration and Integration
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 16 July 2004
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| Deposited in Parliament | 28 July 2004
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| Department | Home Office |
| Basis of consideration | EM of 8 September 2004
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| Previous Committee Report | None; but see (24604) 10293/03: HC 63-xxx (2002-03), para 18 (16 July 2003) and (25716) 10244/04: HC 42-xxv, para 14 (30 June 2004)
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| To be discussed in Council | No date set
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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The document
16.1 The Commission has produced this document in response to
the request of the Thessaloniki European Council for an Annual
Report on Migration and Integration in Europe.[32]
The report has sections on:
- migration trends;
- the situation of immigrants in the labour market
and the economic benefits of immigration;
- developments in admissions policies;
- trends in national integration policies; and
- progress in the development of a common EU immigration
policy.
The report draws on other documents on which we have
reported, including the Commission's Communications on Immigration,
Integration and Employment and on Links between Legal and
Illegal Migration.[33]
16.2 The Commission notes that comparable statistics
of immigration, emigration and participation of third country
nationals in the labour market for all 25 Member States are not
available (the Commission is currently preparing a proposal for
a Directive to harmonise the collection of data and statistics).
Estimates suggest, however, that between 1990 and 2002, immigration
to the older Member States (the EU 15) exceeded emigration and
that the converse occurred in the new Member States. In 2002,
net migration to the EU 25 was 2.8 per 1,000 of population.
16.3 Third country nationals represented 3.6% of
total employees in the EU 15 in 2002. The Commission considers
that, because of the current high level of employment of EU nationals,
immigrants could help meet shortages of skilled and unskilled
labour, particularly because the unemployment rate of third country
nationals in the EU is much lower than the unemployment rate of
EU nationals. Immigrants tend to be relatively young people of
working age. Potentially, their contribution to tax revenue exceeds
their call on public funds, but whether they are net contributors
or dependants depends on whether they are integrated into the
labour market. The net budgetary impact of immigrants appears
to be fairly small. The Commission comments that better integration
of immigrants would improve the public finances.
16.4 All Member States have arrangements for the
admission of third country nationals for employment. But the majority
of admission are of people seeking either family reunification
or asylum. Because of the difficulty of making reliable forecasts,
the Commission sees limited scope to develop selective immigration
policies aimed at filling identified shortages of particular
kills. The Commission says that:
"Immigration policies should, therefore, aim
to keep the admission of foreign workers on an even keel in the
medium-term and to avoid stop-and-go policies."[34]
16.5 Inability to gain employment is said to be the
greatest obstacle to the integration of immigrants to the EU.
Immigrants' lack of language skills and difficulties in obtaining
recognition of their qualifications are also obstacles. Immigrants
are particularly at risk of poverty and social exclusion and have
difficulty in obtaining decent affordable housing. The Commission
notes that the number of Member States providing immigrants with
language teaching and civic education is increasing. The National
Contact Points (officials nominated by Member States to monitor
progress on integration and to exchange information) have produced
a handbook containing general principles and recommendations for
integration policy; it will be published later this year. The
Revised Economic Guidelines adopted in 2003 called for action
to improve the integration of immigrants into the labour market
and set a target for reducing the disparity between the employment
rates of EU nationals and third country nationals. While noting
positive initiatives such as these, the Commission says that it
is difficult to assess whether there has been progress in developing
comprehensive national integration strategies.
16.6 The report refers to the Community legislation
introduced since 1999 with the aim of achieving a common immigration
policy. It mentions, for example, the adoption of the Directive
on family reunification[35]
and the Directive on residence permits for victims of trafficking
and smuggling of human beings.[36]
It also mentions legislative proposals still under consideration,
such as those for a Directive on the admission of third country
nationals to carry out scientific research and two Recommendations
to facilitate the admission of researchers.[37]
Later this year, with a view to further legislation, the Commission
will publish a Green Paper on admission policies for economic
migrants.
16.7 In its proposals for the Financial Perspective
2007-13, the Commission has included provision for the financial
support of a common policy on the management of migration flows
so as to meet the needs of the labour market.
16.8 The report refers to the Thessaloniki European
Council's conclusion that, while Member States have primary responsibility
for integration policies, their policies should be developed within
an EU framework, for which common principles should be developed.[38]
The Commission says that it will be making proposal for these
common principles.
The Government's view
16.9 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at
the Home Office (Caroline Flint) tells us that, while recognising
the variations in the demographics of Member States, the Government
supports the Commission's view that the EU should prepare for
increased immigration to meet the labour needs of the enlarged
Community.
16.10 The Minister adds that the Government has no
difficulty with the aim of producing a framework for the entry
of third country nationals. But it wishes to retain discretion
over the admission of third country nationals to the United Kingdom
and the conditions of their stay.
16.11 The Minister says that the Government did not
opt into the Directives on the admission of third country nationals
for study purposes or for employment and self-employment because
they raise issues which go to the heart of the UK's ability to
set its own policy on admission and to decide applications on
the basis of the UK Immigration Rules.
16.12 The Government is, in principle, in favour
of the proposed legislation on comparable statistics on asylum
and migration. It also agrees with the Commission that admission
and integration policies are inseparable and should mutually reinforce
one another.
Conclusion
16.13 In our view, the report provides a useful
snapshot of migration and integration issues and of the relevant
action being taken by Member States and the Community. We believe
that future Annual Reports are likely to be more useful when comparable
and reliable statistics are available.
16.14 The document contains no specific legislative
proposals and calls for no action. We draw it to the attention
of the House because of the importance of the subject. But there
are no questions we need put to the Minister about the document
and we are content to clear it from scrutiny.
32 Thessaloniki European Council, 19/20 June 2003,
Conclusion 33. Back
33
See headnote. Back
34
Commission Communication, page 5. Back
35
Council Directive 2003/86/EC of 22 September 2003. Back
36
Council Directive 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003. Back
37
See (25477) HC 42-xxii (2003-04), para13 (9 June 2004). Back
38
Thessaloniki European Council, 19/20 June 2003, Conclusion 31. Back
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