Migration within Europe
More and more Europeans are leaving their home countries to study or work in other countries. How are individual countries dealing with this trend?
euro|topics-Dossiers
Main focus of Wednesday, 24. October 2007
The European Commission yesterday presented its concept for a blue card which would enable highly skilled workers from outside the EU to obtain limited work ... » more
The European Commission yesterday presented its concept for a blue card which would enable highly skilled workers from outside the EU to obtain limited work permits in Europe. The German and Austrian governments have spoken out against the legislation. The press now fears the project could fail.
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Migration, » Integration, » Economic Policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Christoph B. Schiltz
Main focus of Friday, 14. September 2007
EU Commissioner for Justice Franco Frattini has proposed the introduction of a Blue Card. Modelled on the US's Green Card, it is aimed at facilitating ... » more
EU Commissioner for Justice Franco Frattini has proposed the introduction of a Blue Card. Modelled on the US's Green Card, it is aimed at facilitating the immigration of qualified workers to the EU. But what are the chances of success for this common European immigration policy?
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Migration, » Europe
All available articles from » Sonja Margolina
Main focus of Thursday, 1. February 2007
Doctors, engineers and other professionals from Central and Eastern Europe have left their home countries for Western Europe in search of higher salaries and improved ... » more
Doctors, engineers and other professionals from Central and Eastern Europe have left their home countries for Western Europe in search of higher salaries and improved working conditions. This has led to shortages in their countries of origin, so that these countries have had to look further eastwards for employees to take their place. Governments are now trying to think up incentives to bring the highly qualified workers back home.
More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Central Europe, » Eastern Europe
Main focus of Wednesday, 25. October 2006
Up to now Great Britain and Ireland had assumed a pioneering role in free movement of workers within the EU. They were the first to ... » more
Up to now Great Britain and Ireland had assumed a pioneering role in free movement of workers within the EU. They were the first to open their labour markets to people from the new Eastern European member states in 2004. However, both Great Britain and Ireland now plan to introduce restrictive measures regarding Romania and Bulgaria, which will join the EU in 2007. And other EU countries are also considering temporary restrictive measures. Poland, which until now has profited from the free movement of labour, now wants to take on a pioneering role by being the first to open its labour market to Romanians and Bulgarians.
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » United Kingdom, » Europe, » Romania, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Brigitte Preissler
Main focus of Tuesday, 1. August 2006
More and more young graduates from the EU's new member states are trying their luck in western Europe's labour market. For its part, 'Old Europe' ... » more
More and more young graduates from the EU's new member states are trying their luck in western Europe's labour market. For its part, 'Old Europe' is finding ways to benefit from this economic migration, turning increasingly to manpower from the East - including would-be EU members.
More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Corporations, » Europe
Main focus of Friday, 21. July 2006
As the influx of illegal immigrants continues unabated, Europe is becoming aware of the limits of an immigration policy based solely on security. The press ... » more
As the influx of illegal immigrants continues unabated, Europe is becoming aware of the limits of an immigration policy based solely on security. The press recommends greater cooperation with third countries and between member states.
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Migration, » Europe
Main focus of Friday, 10. March 2006
The EU's western countries have until the end of April to say whether they intend to open their labour markets entirely to citizens of the Eastern states ... » more
The EU's western countries have until the end of April to say whether they intend to open their labour markets entirely to citizens of the Eastern states that joined the Union on May 1, 2004. After Portugal last week, Spain announced on Thursday, March 9 that it too would follow Great Britain's example, which has never imposed restrictions. Belgium, meanwhile, favours maintaining a period of transitional measures.
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Europe
euro|topics-Magazins
General
Le Monde - France | Friday, 13. April 2007
In an interview conducted by Laetitia Van Eeckhout, the American historian Nancy Green, director of studies at EHESS (School of Advanced Social Science Studies) considers ... » more
In an interview conducted by Laetitia Van Eeckhout, the American historian Nancy Green, director of studies at EHESS (School of Advanced Social Science Studies) considers that it is worthwhile "looking at how nations have defined themselves by their attitude towards those who leave them. Animated these days by big debates on immigration, Europe is forgetting that it was a land of massive emigration in the 19th century and right through to the middle of the 20th century. The massive phenomena of departure that it experienced then is not so different from the flux that is occurring today ... Yet the migratory phenomenon and the concept of nation are closely linked. Are those who emigrated still part of a nation ? Are they considered as traitors, or as ambassadors ? ... In general, there has always been a tension between laxity and anxiety on the part of states torn between a negative and a positive vision of emigration."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Integration, » History, » France, » Europe
All available articles from » Nancy Green, » Laetitia Van Eeckhout
24 heures - Switzerland | Tuesday, 5. September 2006
According to Brunson McKiney, general director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) interviewed by Aude Markovitch, "this is not an explosion of the number of immigrants, but a clear view of their attempts to enter Europe. Little by little, the EU has closed the traditional avenues for entering its territory [notably the Strait of Gibraltar], leading smugglers along more perilous routes. With the dramatic consequences we know. ... The majority of these migrant workers do not wish to settle in their host countries, they want to earn money, save up and go home. ... We think that we should head towards system of chosen migration. There are empty spaces to be filled in the manpower of numerous economic sectors: » more
According to Brunson McKiney, general director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) interviewed by Aude Markovitch, "this is not an explosion of the number of immigrants, but a clear view of their attempts to enter Europe. Little by little, the EU has closed the traditional avenues for entering its territory [notably the Strait of Gibraltar], leading smugglers along more perilous routes. With the dramatic consequences we know. ... The majority of these migrant workers do not wish to settle in their host countries, they want to earn money, save up and go home. ... We think that we should head towards system of chosen migration. There are empty spaces to be filled in the manpower of numerous economic sectors: health, construction, agriculture, catering. It is thus a question of organising migration in accordance with the needs of host countries."
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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Migration, » Spain
All available articles from » Brunson McKinley
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - Germany | Thursday, 20. July 2006
What will Europe look like in the future? asks Polish journalist Andrzej Stasiuk. "Will certain regions, like eastern Poland or southern Italy, become completely depopulated? ... » more
What will Europe look like in the future? asks Polish journalist Andrzej Stasiuk. "Will certain regions, like eastern Poland or southern Italy, become completely depopulated? The poor are migrating to the rich cities of Western Europe. At the airport in Crakow, Stasiuk watched travellers to Paris and Munich cast suspicious looks at a group of young Poles headed for Dublin. "Perhaps they didn't like the idea that their fate is in the hands of these young people – that somewhere something had gone wrong and Western civilisation was now damned to eternal dependence on the barbarians of the east because its own powers are failing. Unless it could come up with some kind of humanoid robots, or import clones to work as slaves from China – because sooner or later China will start producing clones and selling them cheap."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Europe
All available articles from » Andrzej Stasiuk
Knack - Belgium | Friday, 16. June 2006
Rik Coolsaet, a professor of international relations at the University of Gand, debunks some commonly accepted notions about immigration. "The International Organization for Migration has once again clarified certain realities. Immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in social allocations (translation: » more
Rik Coolsaet, a professor of international relations at the University of Gand, debunks some commonly accepted notions about immigration. "The International Organization for Migration has once again clarified certain realities. Immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in social allocations (translation: they help 'us' to pay our pensions). Immigrants and natives do not compete for the same jobs (translate: they do not steal 'our' jobs). Naturally, immigration is not without a few hitches. ... [But] today's situation is not worse than that which existed in the past. On the contrary. A century ago, one-tenth of the world's population migrated, versus less then three percent today. These days, relatively fewer immigrants are arriving in Europe than 30 years earlier."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Europe
All available articles from » Rik Coolsaet
Financial Times - United Kingdom | Wednesday, 8. November 2006
"Barely half as wealthy as the west European countries, the central European nations need to grow more than twice as fast to converge with them", ... » more
"Barely half as wealthy as the west European countries, the central European nations need to grow more than twice as fast to converge with them", considers the economist Anders Aslund. "The absence of convergence breeds a sense of permanent backwardness. ... Central Europe's problem is not political instability. Until recently, it had relatively stable, but irresponsible governments, which did little while their economic problems deepened. The recent political turmoil in central Europe may be welcomed as a wake-up call. ... Their prime dilemma is economic and a general EU problem. Like the EU, central Europe needs to overcome its poor economic dynamism through lower taxes, reduced social transfers and freer labour markets. Possible cures are increasing tax competition from the east and freer labour migration within the EU."
» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Europe, » Central Europe
Życie Warszawy - Poland | Monday, 19. December 2005
According to an international survey conducted on the occasion of "International Migration Day", Eastern Europe is the least migration-friendly region in the world. With 29 ... » more
According to an international survey conducted on the occasion of "International Migration Day", Eastern Europe is the least migration-friendly region in the world. With 29 percent of its population supporting immigration, Poland had a relatively good showing in comparison with other countries in the region. Nevertheless the daily looks into the widespread xenophobia. "Immigration is still a new and strange phenomenon in Poland – a country with a very homogenous nationality," one sociologist explains. However, another researcher points out that the fact that Poland itself is a country of emigrants has a positive effect on the nation's attitude in this respect. "In Western Europe, the Irish are those with the most favourable attitude towards immigration, and they themselves emigrated en masse to search for work."
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More from the press review on the subject » Society, » Poland
All available articles from » Pawel Szaniawski
Countries
Finland
Hufvudstadsbladet - Finland | Thursday, 25. October 2007
Numerous studies have shown that Finland needs more immigrants. Max Arhippainen points out that in the current debate essential issues are being overlooked: » more
Numerous studies have shown that Finland needs more immigrants. Max Arhippainen points out that in the current debate essential issues are being overlooked: "It's also important that people have the desire to come here. We Finns aren't particularly willing to take in foreigners. The rules must enable people to find proper employment here. However most of our immigration policies were formulated at a time when the main goal was to make the borders as tight as possible." Arhippainen calls for changes to the asylum procedure: "Those who are given B status are not allowed to study or work here. The Council of Europe's anti-racism committee has quite rightly criticised this on numerous occasions. The strategy of refusing people the right to make a living is pure madness - both in human and economic terms."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Demographics, » Finland
All available articles from » Max Arhippainen
Turun Sanomat - Finland | Tuesday, 25. September 2007
Finland's population is aging particularly rapidly, the daily notes, pointing out that this will soon lead to labour shortages. "The country's native workforce is no ... » more
Finland's population is aging particularly rapidly, the daily notes, pointing out that this will soon lead to labour shortages. "The country's native workforce is no longer sufficient to maintain our Nordic-style welfare state... Closing our job market to foreigners in 2004 was a mistake we will pay for dearly. Other countries were more courageous. Our companies have already taken the law into their own hands and begun bringing in workers from abroad. At the same time we should take foreign workers already living in the country out of the legal grey zone."
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More from the press review on the subject » Demographics, » Finland
Helsingin Sanomat - Finland | Tuesday, 24. January 2006
Finland is debating whether to open its labour market to new EU member states. "This topic is currently under discussion in Spain, Portugal and Finland, ... » more
Finland is debating whether to open its labour market to new EU member states. "This topic is currently under discussion in Spain, Portugal and Finland, while Germany and Austria remain adamant about the seven-year waiting period. Austria is surrounded by new member states, while Germany shares borders with Poland and the Czech Republic. Fears of losing jobs are therefore not entirely unjustified. If Finland opens its labour market thousands of workers may well flood in from Estonia. But in the catering trade, and especially in the building sector, they are urgently needed."
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More from the press review on the subject » Economy, » Finland
Sweden
Upsala Nya Tidning - Sweden | Wednesday, 18. July 2007
The Swedish government has unveiled a scheme aimed at enabling Swedish employers to recruit workers from all over the world. Under the scheme, foreign employees would be issued documents resembling the US's green cards. The newspaper considers this a wise move: » more
The Swedish government has unveiled a scheme aimed at enabling Swedish employers to recruit workers from all over the world. Under the scheme, foreign employees would be issued documents resembling the US's green cards. The newspaper considers this a wise move: "This immigration would not only be good for the economy, it will also push Swedish integration in the right direction. Sweden needs skilled immigrants. It would also boost the self-confidence of less well-educated immigrants if they saw more of their compatriots in prestigious positions... The US is our model. For many years now it has aimed to attract the world's best and most intelligent people. Unlike in Sweden, in the US a foreign accent or a foreign-sounding name are by no means an indication that one belongs to an underclass."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Sweden, » Global
Denmark
Politiken - Denmark | Friday, 20. April 2007
Denmark is suffering from manpower shortages - so much so that the country's prosperity is at stake. LO, the trade unions' umbrella organisation, has therefore ... » more
Denmark is suffering from manpower shortages - so much so that the country's prosperity is at stake. LO, the trade unions' umbrella organisation, has therefore proposed allowing asylum seekers to work and the introduction of a green card- like system for immigrant workers. Tøger Seidenfaden agrees with the proposal. "Here in Denmark we must finally recognise that the problem has taken on such dimensions that it can no longer be solved by people working a few hours overtime. When you look at the situation objectively, there aren't many Danes who want to work more - on the contrary. But nothing will come of it. Here in Denmark your friends at the pub are God; the leader of the Danish People's Party, Pia Kjærsgaard, is his prophet, and Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has to make do with being the reigning caliph. The borders will remain as impermeable as they are now and the welfare state will go to ruin."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Migration, » Denmark
All available articles from » Tøger Seidenfaden
Britain
Financial Times - United Kingdom | Wednesday, 31. October 2007
The daily reflects on immigration in the UK: » more
The daily reflects on immigration in the UK: "Politicians who are hiding from the challenges posed and opportunities provided by immigration. Neither the government's decision to extend its somewhat whimsical restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian workers, nor [Conservative leader] David Cameron's softly spoken demand for direct controls on immigration, constitutes a constructive policy.The most recent failure is the discovery that there are 1.1m foreign workers in the country, not 800,000. ... This is embarrassing and is the result of a basic error in data handling. The government confused immigration and nationality: some UK nationals, of course, are immigrants. ... The truth is this: immigration makes most – but not all – existing residents better off by making the economy more creative and flexible ... . Neither government nor opposition has the courage to act as cheerleader. That is a shame."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » United Kingdom
The Guardian - United Kingdom | Monday, 24. September 2007
Paul Laverty wrote the screenplay for Ken Loach's latest film, 'It's a Free World', about immigrant workers in the U.K. He reflects on the stories ... » more
Paul Laverty wrote the screenplay for Ken Loach's latest film, 'It's a Free World', about immigrant workers in the U.K. He reflects on the stories of those he interviewed to write the script. "Maybe the family of the man who died from exhaustion after continuous double shifts stamping logos on cardboard boxes in a northern warehouse, or the workers picking flowers who ended up owing more money than they earned once 'deductions' for accommodation, food and travel had been calculated, will be unimpressed by the unbearable lightness of our story. ... Listening to all these experiences, it was as if all the Factory Acts and health and safety regulations had suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke, along with 150 years of trade union gains. None of this protection existed in the minds of these workers... All these workers massively subsidise our standard of living, so let's not interfere unduly."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Migration, » United Kingdom
All available articles from » Paul Laverty
The Guardian - United Kingdom | Wednesday, 6. December 2006
"For the first time since the second world war a trade union branch consisting entirely of migrant workers has been formed in Britain", notes the ... » more
"For the first time since the second world war a trade union branch consisting entirely of migrant workers has been formed in Britain", notes the journalist Duncan Campbell concerning the 200.000 registered Poles in Britain. "The creation of Polish branches in Southampton and Glasgow, with others to be launched across the country in the next few weeks, could have a profound and revitalising effect on the union movement in Britain and help to break down the barriers between the new arrivals and those who have voiced suspicions that they are being used mainly to undercut the existing workforce. ... It is not hard to see why some Polish workers might be examining the new Polish-language sections of union websites as they compare their payslips to those of British colleagues. Once the exhilaration of earning five times the average wage in Poland has abated, many of them realise that the cost of living here eats up most of their pay packet."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » United Kingdom, » Poland
The Independent - United Kingdom | Wednesday, 30. August 2006
Roland Rudd, chairman of Business for New Europe Group (BNE), a pressure group calling for further integration, urges the government to continue its open door policy when Bulgaria and Romania are due to enter the EU in 2007: » more
Roland Rudd, chairman of Business for New Europe Group (BNE), a pressure group calling for further integration, urges the government to continue its open door policy when Bulgaria and Romania are due to enter the EU in 2007:"It is true that one cannot wholy concentrate on the benefits of migration without recognising that there are costs. Yet economic history and the example of history should be our guide in this debate. Advocates of immigration should take comfort in the overwhelming majority of the research, which illustrates net benefits. One study suggests that a 1 per cent population increase through migration triggers a 1.5 per cent increase in GDP (...) In contrast to the ugly caricature depicted by some quarters, few claim welfare benefits, with only 1.3 per cent applying for income support and job-seekers allowance."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » United Kingdom
All available articles from » Roland Rudd
The Independent - United Kingdom | Monday, 21. August 2006
The daily paper reacts to statements from Damian Green, Conservative Party's immigration spokesman, who has called for curbs to be placed on the numbers of ... » more
The daily paper reacts to statements from Damian Green, Conservative Party's immigration spokesman, who has called for curbs to be placed on the numbers of workers entering the UK from Romania and Bulgaria when they join the EU. "Any attempt by Britain to impose restrictions on Bulgaria and Romania that were not imposed on the previous 10 newcomers will be found insulting and discriminatory by those countries ... Mobility is one of the greatest assets of the European Union and one that has been a boon to the British economy. Two years ago, Britain was one of only three existing EU countries - the others were Ireland and Sweden - not to introduce quotas for new EU citizens seeking work. This was a brave decision, but it was also a wise one. It is true that the number of workers from the 'new' Europe coming to Britain for work has vastly exceeded early estimates, but the great majority have been successfully absorbed into the economy. The benefit has been theirs, and ours."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Migration, » United Kingdom
Ireland
The Irish Times - Ireland | Friday, 30. March 2007
The daily analyses the results of the census data published on the 29th of March by the Central Statistics Office of Ireland. "At 4.2 million, ... » more
The daily analyses the results of the census data published on the 29th of March by the Central Statistics Office of Ireland. "At 4.2 million, the population [of the Republic of Ireland]is well on the way to being twice as large as it was in the 1950s. … The increased complexity of Irish society is evident at every level. One person in 10 living here was not born in Ireland. (The number of Polish residents, for example, increased 30-fold between 2002 and 2006.) There is more religious diversity, with big increases in the numbers of people of the Islamic and Orthodox faiths and people of no religion constituting the second largest group. … It is not at all obvious, however, that our political system has caught up with this changing society. The census figures may indicate a growing, dynamic society, but they also highlight the challenges of change."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Integration, » Minorities, » Demographics, » Ireland
The Irish Times - Ireland | Wednesday, 25. January 2006
Ireland's deputy prime minister and health minister, Mary Harney, argues against restricting the rights of EU citizens to work in Ireland - a right that ... » more
Ireland's deputy prime minister and health minister, Mary Harney, argues against restricting the rights of EU citizens to work in Ireland - a right that people in the 10 new member states have enjoyed since entering the Union in May 2004. "I ask, where is the open, confident, outward-looking Ireland for which we have worked so hard over 20 years, and that has worked so well for us? ... Closing the door just after we have opened it would be begrudging and irrational, not least since we would only have to open it again only a few years later. Neither Fortress Europe nor Fortress Ireland is right. To contemplate closing the door now with an attitude of 'what we have we hold' is the old siege mentality. ... It would be the abandonment of our best traditions and of the well-spring of our economic and social renaissance."
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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Ireland
All available articles from » Mary Harney
Lithuania
Lietuvos rytas - Lithuania | Wednesday, 26. September 2007
Over the past few years many Lithuanians have left their country to seek work abroad. For a long time this subject was hushed up, however ... » more
Over the past few years many Lithuanians have left their country to seek work abroad. For a long time this subject was hushed up, however now it's slowly working its way into the Lithuanian media, but in a negative way, as Monika Bonckute notes. "Anyone who leaves Lithuania for reasons other than a holiday is seen as a traitor. Emigrants are generally not regarded as individuals but as a homogenous mass that has failed to prove its love for its native country - as if life in Lithuania were something sacred."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Lithuania
All available articles from » Monika Bončkutė
Postimees - Estonia | Thursday, 11. October 2007
All three Baltic states are experiencing labour shortages as a result of heavy emigration and booming economies. Lithuania has now launched a publicity campaign aimed ... » more
All three Baltic states are experiencing labour shortages as a result of heavy emigration and booming economies. Lithuania has now launched a publicity campaign aimed at encouraging emigrants to return. "Lithuania's growth rates are just as high as Estonia's," the paper comments, "and the labour shortages there are having such a strong impact that political leaders are finally translating words into action and appealing to the hundreds of thousands of people who have left the country in search of work abroad. The information centres now being set up in Western Europe are probably not exactly what Lithuanians living abroad need, but at least the initiative shows that the government hasn't forgotten its citizens. However it's more important to focus on improving living standards and working conditions within the country."
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More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Lithuania
Estonia
SL Õhtuleht - Estonia | Tuesday, 25. September 2007
Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has called on Estonians living abroad to return to their country. There are serious manpower shortages in Estonia. The newspaper criticises the move: » more
Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has called on Estonians living abroad to return to their country. There are serious manpower shortages in Estonia. The newspaper criticises the move: "Let's be honest: Ilves' appeal is just empty rhetoric. Anyone who wanted to would have returned to Estonia long ago. This hasn't been the case despite all the reforms. The government even offered to give them back their former property. Estonia was open to all who wanted to come here but the only ones who came were fortune hunters and adventurers. Few have actually stayed and adapted to life in Estonia... We should instead concentrate on making sure that no more qualified workers leave Estonia."
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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Demographics, » Estonia
Postimees - Estonia | Monday, 21. August 2006
The terms "Estonia's economic miracle" and "Baltic tiger" were coined during former Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar's term in office (1999-2002). According to Vambola Paavo, ... » more
The terms "Estonia's economic miracle" and "Baltic tiger" were coined during former Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar's term in office (1999-2002). According to Vambola Paavo, this success story is now in danger of coming to an end. "It's no longer profitable for companies to produce in Estonia. It's increasingly expensive to employ people, and the best-qualified are going abroad. But this doesn't stop Prime Minster Andrus Ansip from talking about how well everything's going and how the annual growth rate is at eleven percent. You might excuse him because after all he got his degree in chemistry and he's not a financial expert. But at the moment our southern neighbours in Latvia and Lithuania are doing better than we are. Latvia's Ventspils is on the transit route for oil from the East to the West...".
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Baltic States
All available articles from » Vambola Paavo
Postimees - Estonia | Friday, 4. August 2006
Estonia has almost full employment and an increasing number of sectors are having difficulties finding workers and are calling for measures to boost immigration. Ene-Margit Tiit, argues that they should use the workers they have more effectively. "Manpower shortages are not a new problem here. They existed in Soviet times when efficiency was poor – and there was an easy solution to the problem: » more
Estonia has almost full employment and an increasing number of sectors are having difficulties finding workers and are calling for measures to boost immigration. Ene-Margit Tiit, argues that they should use the workers they have more effectively. "Manpower shortages are not a new problem here. They existed in Soviet times when efficiency was poor – and there was an easy solution to the problem: workers were brought in from other Soviet republics. Mass immigration was politically desirable, but its effects can still be felt today. … In the present situation it would be very short-sighted to try to solve the shortages by importing manpower because it would overstrain social cohesion and stability. … Estonia should concentrate on stopping people from leaving. It may be a good thing for young specialists to spend some time abroad, but the mass exodus of bus drivers, nurses and construction workers who receive better pay abroad is evidence of Estonia's poor economic and social policy."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Migration, » Estonia
All available articles from » Ene-Margit Tiit
Postimees - Estonia | Monday, 24. July 2006
The newspaper complains that although Estonia's economy is growing rapidly, the population is not prospering. "There's a simple explanation to why the economic growth is not translating into more money in people's pockets: » more
The newspaper complains that although Estonia's economy is growing rapidly, the population is not prospering. "There's a simple explanation to why the economic growth is not translating into more money in people's pockets: the success of Estonian companies is based not on new business ideas, but on cheap labour. And now we're being told that (owing to worker migration) there's not enough manpower to continue developing Estonia's business sector. If people only have the choice between doing unskilled work for low wages here or doing the same work for more money elsewhere, you can't blame them for taking the second option."
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More from the press review on the subject » Corporations, » Estonia
Latvia
Diena - Latvia | Tuesday, 12. September 2006
There are manpower shortages in many of Latvia's economic sectors, and the advantages and disadvantages of immigration have become the subject of heated debate. Aivars ... » more
There are manpower shortages in many of Latvia's economic sectors, and the advantages and disadvantages of immigration have become the subject of heated debate. Aivars Ozolins calls for the country to open its labour market to Bulgarians and Romanians, who will soon become EU members. But do they want to come to Latvia? "Higher salaries are just one of many factors that induce workers to look for work abroad. Language skills, geographical proximity and cultural ties are also important factors. Today, there are already large numbers of Bulgarians and Romanians living in Italy, Spain and Greece, and it's unlikely they will change direction and come north following accession to the EU. Nonetheless, legal immigration is better than the illegal immigration which results from restrictions. Latvia need not fear a massive influx of Bulgarian mechanics and construction workers. On the contrary, there's little hope that our increasing shortage of manpower will be alleviated by immigration from other EU countries."
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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Domestic Policy, » Latvia
All available articles from » Aivars Ozolins
Diena - Latvia | Monday, 4. September 2006
It is becoming increasingly evident that Latvia has a shortage of workers, especially in the capital, Riga. Unlike Estonia and Lithuania, which have now achieved ... » more
It is becoming increasingly evident that Latvia has a shortage of workers, especially in the capital, Riga. Unlike Estonia and Lithuania, which have now achieved almost full employment, in Latvia unemployment is still at around seven per cent. But recruiting guest workers is a hotly debated issue because over 30 per cent of the country's population is already non-Latvian. According to Mareks Niklass, immigration is not the remedy. "We've got plenty of other options and it's clear that we haven't given them proper consideration yet. Latvia's productivity is low, at around a third of the level of the old EU countries. In areas like agriculture and wood processing we can only compete with low wage costs, and the more wages rise, the tougher the competition becomes for employers. A rise in productivity could only be achieved if employers were to cut down on the extensive use of manpower and concentrate less on manual labour and more on investment."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Latvia
All available articles from » Mareks Niklass
Poland
Wprost Online - Poland | Saturday, 25. August 2007
In view of current shortages of skilled labour, the German government has decided to open up the job market to mechanical and electrical engineers from ... » more
In view of current shortages of skilled labour, the German government has decided to open up the job market to mechanical and electrical engineers from the 12 new member states as of 1 November 2007. Małgorzata Zdziechowska calls on Germany to go a step further and follow Britain's example by removing the barriers for all professional groups. "The labour shortages are slowing down economic development considerably. The resulting losses are estimated at 20 billion euros per year. And yet still our neighbours to the West opt for a limited and controlled opening of their labour markets... Defying all logic and ignoring the economic data, the Germans see workers from the East primarily as a threat rather than an opportunity. The British economy is flourishing thanks to workers from Eastern Europe, while the German economy is growing slower than it could owing to the labour shortages."
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Dziennik Gazeta Prawna - Poland | Thursday, 19. July 2007
Borders, the British bookstore chain, has added Polish-language books to its range. Literary critic Magdalena Miecznicka takes this as an opportunity to reflect on the current generation of Polish immigrants: » more
Borders, the British bookstore chain, has added Polish-language books to its range. Literary critic Magdalena Miecznicka takes this as an opportunity to reflect on the current generation of Polish immigrants: "The Poles who live abroad are not a nation of savers who keep every cent they earn under their mattresses to send back to Poland. That Borders is selling Polish books in Birmingham, Dublin and London's Oxford Street is a sign that Polish immigrants have adapted and can afford to buy more than just tinned meat. Their mentality has changed. They want to enjoy life abroad and not just work, like the poor Ukrainians in Poland who never even go to the cinema."
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Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland | Saturday, 5. May 2007
Journalist Witold Gadomski laments European provincialism and pleads for more flexibility in the EU. "One of the EU's fundamental principles is the freedom that includes ... » more
Journalist Witold Gadomski laments European provincialism and pleads for more flexibility in the EU. "One of the EU's fundamental principles is the freedom that includes the right to live and work in another country. Why don't more Europeans take advantage of this? The reason is the diversity of languages and cultures, the feeling of estrangement, and the relative difficulty of climbing the economic ladder in another country. The EU is still a conglomerate of 27 states whose governments pursue policies aimed at satisfying their own particular interests. Political parties take advantage of nationalistic resentments. The largest European countries – France and Germany – fail to see that they can learn something new from their smaller and poorer neighbours. True integration of the EU will only happen when a great movement of European people begins – much greater than today's economic migration from Central Europe."
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Romania
Revista 22 - Romania | Monday, 13. August 2007
Ilie Serbanescu writes that an estimated 1.2 to 3.4 million Romanians live abroad, commenting on the consequences for the domestic market. "For a country that thinks about its future, such figures are devastating. Of the 4.5 million Romanians who have regular legal employment, 75 percent are working abroad. For now the politicians are whooping with joy about the fact that Romania doesn't have problems with unemployment and that the money that Romanians working abroad send home is covering the country's absurdly and dangerously large foreign trade deficit. No one can say how long this will continue to function, but one thing's for sure: » more
Ilie Serbanescu writes that an estimated 1.2 to 3.4 million Romanians live abroad, commenting on the consequences for the domestic market. "For a country that thinks about its future, such figures are devastating. Of the 4.5 million Romanians who have regular legal employment, 75 percent are working abroad. For now the politicians are whooping with joy about the fact that Romania doesn't have problems with unemployment and that the money that Romanians working abroad send home is covering the country's absurdly and dangerously large foreign trade deficit. No one can say how long this will continue to function, but one thing's for sure: the bubble will burst... and then the lamentations will be great."
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Evenimentul Zilei - Romania | Wednesday, 14. March 2007
Over the coming months, the Romanian government plans to implement a series of measures to attract emigrants back to the country. Marius Draghici advises emigrants to give such a step serious consideration before making their decision: » more
Over the coming months, the Romanian government plans to implement a series of measures to attract emigrants back to the country. Marius Draghici advises emigrants to give such a step serious consideration before making their decision: "The politicians who have been ruining the country for the past 17 years, the oligarchies who have the economy and the power in their grip, the functionaries who have humiliated us, are all now presenting us with the bill... Don't come home! Romania is a long way from European standards. It is still poor and corrupt. I know how difficult it is for you. I know that you are far away from your children and families. Help your parents financially. Take your children and put them in schools in Europe. Save your money for your old age. Stay away - you've earned it... You should only come back when you're convinced that this country belongs to you, your children and your grandchildren, not a band of gangsters!"
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Hungary
Népszabadság - Hungary | Tuesday, 6. March 2007
Controversy has been triggered by an internal government report on immigration policy that recently became public. Politicians of the right-wing conservative opposition warned that "a million Asians" wanted to immigrate to Hungary. Sociologist Attila Melegh comments: » more
Controversy has been triggered by an internal government report on immigration policy that recently became public. Politicians of the right-wing conservative opposition warned that "a million Asians" wanted to immigrate to Hungary. Sociologist Attila Melegh comments: "There are currently hundreds of thousands of foreigners living illegally in Hungary, most of them members of the Hungarian minorities of neighbouring countries, but also some of other origins. However, when you look closer at migration trends you see that Hungary is one of the countries with the lowest rates of immigration in Europe. Hungary is not a coveted destination for migrants even though it's within the EU. Different factors make immigration to Hungary complicated: the labour market, insecure jobs and the language. This won't change in the future. So before we talk about future immigrants - whether we have a liberal or a nationalist stance - we should observe the process and ask ourselves what we can do to improve the situation of both Hungarian and foreign citizens living in our country."
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Heti Világgazdaság - Hungary | Thursday, 16. November 2006
Not all 25 EU member states have reached a decision about whether to open their job markets to Romanians and Bulgarians in 2007. Györgyi Kocsis ... » more
Not all 25 EU member states have reached a decision about whether to open their job markets to Romanians and Bulgarians in 2007. Györgyi Kocsis maintains that Hungary should definitely open its market to the new members. "Poland has already announced its willingness to do so, and Finland, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Slovakia are not afraid of the 'Bulgarian plumber' either. ... Germany and Austria are barricading their doors and Hungary remains silent. ... Up to now the semi-official position seems to be that there will be restrictions for Romanian and Bulgarian citizens wanting to work here. However, this would be detrimental to Hungary's economy, unsound from a political point of view and entirely unnecessary. Hungary receives funding from the EU budget, and it's unlikely to start paying more than it receives at any point in the near future. Therefore, it's hardly in a position to give these new members, who are even poorer than Hungary, financial support. But by opening its labour market, Hungary could at least prove it has a sense of moral responsibility."
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Népszabadság - Hungary | Friday, 23. December 2005
Former education minister Zoltan Pokorin looks anxiously ahead to the time after 2011 when the older EU states will no longer be able to restrict the free movement of Hungarian workers. "On the one hand, it's a good thing, but it could also be dangerous. The state will no longer have the administrative means to prevent the emigration of our best workers: » more
Former education minister Zoltan Pokorin looks anxiously ahead to the time after 2011 when the older EU states will no longer be able to restrict the free movement of Hungarian workers. "On the one hand, it's a good thing, but it could also be dangerous. The state will no longer have the administrative means to prevent the emigration of our best workers: no visas and no borders in the traditional sense of the word. Will Hungary not suffer when all of a sudden hundreds of thousands of the country's most ambitious, motivated and highly qualified young people leave?”
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Bulgaria
Sme - Slovakia | Thursday, 26. October 2006
Maglena Kuneva, the chief negotiator for Bulgaria's accession to the EU and future European commissioner for her country, expresses her disappointment that most of the old EU countries plan to restrict Bulgarian workers' access to their labour markets. In an interview with Stefan Hudec she says: » more
Maglena Kuneva, the chief negotiator for Bulgaria's accession to the EU and future European commissioner for her country, expresses her disappointment that most of the old EU countries plan to restrict Bulgarian workers' access to their labour markets. In an interview with Stefan Hudec she says: "Freedom of movement is one of the EU's basic principles. On the one hand we want to boost our competitiveness and on the other we're closing the doors on each other. The generosity of the British, Irish and Swedish in opening their markets to the 10 states that joined in 2004 was one of the main arguments I used to promote EU membership in Bulgaria. I expected Bulgaria to receive the same treatment. Bulgaria doesn't pose a threat to anyone."
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Czech Republic
Hospodářské noviny - Czech Republic | Wednesday, 15. March 2006
First Spain, then Portugal and Finland, and now France has announced that it will gradually open its labour market to EU citizens from Eastern European countries. Jan Machacek welcomes the move: » more
First Spain, then Portugal and Finland, and now France has announced that it will gradually open its labour market to EU citizens from Eastern European countries. Jan Machacek welcomes the move: "For the freedom-loving Czechs, this is more important than all the subsidies Brussels has to offer. Until now, joining the EU left a sour taste because we were denied the fundamental freedom to work and live where we choose... The opening of the French labour market marks a psychological turning point... It makes the protectionist arguments in Austria and Germany untenable. But instead of criticising our neighbours we should ask ourselves whether we Czechs are now prepared to open our labour market to Romanians and Bulgarians."
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Slovakia
La Tribune - France | Tuesday, 24. October 2006
According to statistics given by the Slovak Academy of Science (SAIA), 50% of young Slovak graduates are currently seeking to leave their country after their ... » more
According to statistics given by the Slovak Academy of Science (SAIA), 50% of young Slovak graduates are currently seeking to leave their country after their studies. "This haemorrhage, which has accelerated since Slovakia joined the European Union in May 2004, is beginning to take its toll on economic growth", reveals the journalist Damien Letellier. "The current Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, who had accused his ultra-liberal predecessor of allowing 'Brain Drain' and the departure of 400,000 people, essentially to EU countries, hopes to reverse the tendency. Four months after reaching power ... rather the contrary has happened. ... This phenomenon is made worse by the fact that a number of young Slovaks go to study abroad, mainly in the Czech Republic and in Hungary."
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Spain
El País - Spain | Friday, 24. August 2007
Over a million Britons have chosen to move to Spain. The journalist Joseba Elola payed a visit to the little town of San Fulgencio to understand this phenomenon. "To go through life with a tan and shorts, working in flip-flops ; check your e-mails, have a coffee, make a few business calls, have a dip in the pool ... It didn't take long for Colin Smalley to twig on: » more
Over a million Britons have chosen to move to Spain. The journalist Joseba Elola payed a visit to the little town of San Fulgencio to understand this phenomenon. "To go through life with a tan and shorts, working in flip-flops ; check your e-mails, have a coffee, make a few business calls, have a dip in the pool ... It didn't take long for Colin Smalley to twig on: viva telecommuting, viva Spain. Farewell sad clouds of Middlesbrough, hello San Fulgencio. For two and a half years this 55 year old English entrepreneur has been living in a house with a pool in the Marina, a new urban zone that has encircled the village of San Fulgencio over the past ten years. According to the Spanish Institute of Statistics, 48,8 % of the town's population is British. The local youths have even nick-named it 'Little England'."
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Portugal
Diário de Notícias - Portugal | Friday, 3. August 2007
The daily comments on a new law on immigration in Portugal according to which immigrant entrepreneurs will automatically be entitled to residency papers. "What the ... » more
The daily comments on a new law on immigration in Portugal according to which immigrant entrepreneurs will automatically be entitled to residency papers. "What the law considers 'immigrant entrepreneurs' is misleading. ... A Chinese immigrant who opens up a shop will not be entitled to regularisation. The intention behind the law is to attract big companies who wish to invest in Portugal and already have funds or bank credit. ... It excludes all those declared as 'public works entrepreneurs', which is how most immigrants entering Portugal are classified. It is interesting to note that this law is also bringing us closer to countries that have managed to benefit from foreign energy to develop themselves. The United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom and France were all built with this kind of energy."
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Diário de Notícias - Portugal | Monday, 19. March 2007
Last March 15th, the Spanish police freed 71 Portuguese citizens working like slaves in the Navarre region. The editorialist Joana Ameral Dias responds. "The State ... » more
Last March 15th, the Spanish police freed 71 Portuguese citizens working like slaves in the Navarre region. The editorialist Joana Ameral Dias responds. "The State offers very little help to five million Portuguese emigrants. And when it claims to be surprised by what has happened in the Navarre region, we find ourselves in the thick of cynicism. We have indeed long been aware of the fact that thousands of Portuguese workers are tyrannised abroad. ... We should equally be outraged when this kind of thing happens here with foreign citizens. Portugal revolts when its citizens are involved, but does not react when it is a question of African or Eastern European immigrants being exploited. And it tries to convince people that it is no longer a country of emigration, but only of immigration. The result of this is what has been seen here, in the Navarre region and elsewhere."
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The Netherlands
Trouw - Netherlands | Monday, 14. August 2006
"The Central Statistics Office last week revealed that the Netherlands have Europe's largest immigration deficit," deplores a leading article in the daily paper. "In the ... » more
"The Central Statistics Office last week revealed that the Netherlands have Europe's largest immigration deficit," deplores a leading article in the daily paper. "In the first half of the year the country lost 63,000 people ... It is worrying news. The Netherlands plainly have no appeal. That is related to the country's political management, because the Netherlands are governed by fear and anxiety. We have done all we can in recent years to make the country unattractive to economic refugees, which has also driven away the workers whom we will need in the future. It is high time that the Hague no longer considers immigration as a phenomenon to fight, but as a necessary good."
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Wprost Online - Poland | Thursday, 29. June 2006
The Dutch employment agency Axidus, which specialises in bringing Polish workers to the Netherlands, now wants to build a housing estate including Polish shops and a church for its Polish workers. The project is aimed at protecting Polish workers against the increasing animosity of the Dutch. Anna Pajak comments: » more
The Dutch employment agency Axidus, which specialises in bringing Polish workers to the Netherlands, now wants to build a housing estate including Polish shops and a church for its Polish workers. The project is aimed at protecting Polish workers against the increasing animosity of the Dutch. Anna Pajak comments: "The Netherlands are pioneers, but only when it comes to tolerance towards prostitution, euthanasia, abortion and light drugs... Has Dutch tolerance and hospitality become a thing of the past? It would seem so when people are having ideas like building a separate housing estate for Poles...Such ideas conjure up images of a ghetto – all that's missing is a wall around it."
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Austria
Der Standard - Austria | Wednesday, 3. October 2007
Before the end of the year, controls at Austria's borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary are to be removed. The countries ... » more
Before the end of the year, controls at Austria's borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary are to be removed. The countries that joined the EU in 2004 will then become part of the Schengen area. However Austria's armed forces will be patrolling a few kilometres within the country's borders, and the Austrian labour market will remain closed to workers from Eastern Europe. Alexandra Föderl-Schmid is appalled. "Austria will probably encounter difficulties with the European Commission once the new labour market regulations enter force in 2009. The Commission will demand an explanation for the continued implementation of the protective clauses. In 2011 the clauses expire anyway, and Germany and Austria, which are the only states that still restrict access to their job markets, will have to open them. ... The advantages of the fall of the Iron Curtain are being used at an economic level, but at a political level Austria has failed to make its mark as an integrating force in Central Europe."
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Luxembourg
Le Jeudi - Luxembourg | Monday, 29. May 2006
"The future law on immigration provides an opportunity to reflect on the welcome the Grand-Duchy extends to its immigrants in the past and future," the Luxembourg ... » more
"The future law on immigration provides an opportunity to reflect on the welcome the Grand-Duchy extends to its immigrants in the past and future," the Luxembourg weekly writes. "The new law must be prepared alongside a process of reflection on immigration to Luxembourg and the difficulties of coexistence, suggests Nicolas Schmit [minister for immigration]. We are fortunately a country of immigration. Without it, we would encounter some very serious problems of both an economic and social nature. We need to conduct a more aggressive policy, and to do so in many domains." "The justice minister, Luc Frieden, is preparing a law on dual nationality. Contingent on being present in the country for 10 years, it would be more difficult to obtain than a naturalisation. It would require a language test. ... It would not be a question of "chosen immigration", a fashionable term in the Hexagon [France]. "This term is too politically loaded, even if we have already been practicing it to a certain extent with our labour agreements."
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Schwitzerland
24 heures - Switzerland | Friday, 1. June 2007
In a report published on May 31st, Swiss authorities salute the positive effects that immigration is having on its economy. Caroline Zuercher recalls how "the free flow of people between Switzerland and the EU and then its extension to new members gave rise to the worst possible fears. There was fear that mass immigration from the East would come to shatter the market. It must be noted that this is not the case. People of German nationality represent the biggest movement of foreigners to Switzerland, well ahead of the Portuguese and the French. ... The economical demand is mainly for workers with average and higher qualifications. These arrivals are therefore not a bad thing for companies. But above all it is the shadow of the Polish Plumber which seems very remote today: » more
In a report published on May 31st, Swiss authorities salute the positive effects that immigration is having on its economy. Caroline Zuercher recalls how "the free flow of people between Switzerland and the EU and then its extension to new members gave rise to the worst possible fears. There was fear that mass immigration from the East would come to shatter the market. It must be noted that this is not the case. People of German nationality represent the biggest movement of foreigners to Switzerland, well ahead of the Portuguese and the French. ... The economical demand is mainly for workers with average and higher qualifications. These arrivals are therefore not a bad thing for companies. But above all it is the shadow of the Polish Plumber which seems very remote today: according to early experience, immigration from the East is 'moderate'. That 'enemy' brandished by some isn't coming from where it was expected..."
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Belgium
La Libre Belgique - Belgium | Tuesday, 10. April 2007
Belgium is one of the countries that chose to limit the number of workers arriving from ten new Member States of the EU after their ... » more
Belgium is one of the countries that chose to limit the number of workers arriving from ten new Member States of the EU after their accession on May 1st 2004. For Vincent Rocourn, "nothing justifies envisaging the arrival, in hoards, of Polish brick-layers or Romanian nurses on the Walloon labour market", he denounces "the paradoxical message given to these new European States who were supposed to completely open up their market for our companies whilst accepting restrictions on the number of their own workers entering our countries. In 2009, Member States will have to decide whether or not to lift the barriers which they, for the most part, have maintained up until now. It would be advisable on this occasion, for Belgium to stop accepting that in Europe there are citizens who can travel in first class and others who have to stay in second class."
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Germany
taz - Germany | Wednesday, 28. December 2005
A year ago, Germany passed a new immigration law. According to Lukas Wallraff, it has had devastating consequences. "Germany's first immigration law has already turned ... » more
A year ago, Germany passed a new immigration law. According to Lukas Wallraff, it has had devastating consequences. "Germany's first immigration law has already turned out to be a big success – for the US, Great Britain and all the other countries looking for outstanding talent. They've disposed of a competitor in the race to attract the best brains. Germany has virtually dropped out of the competition. Only 900 experts moved to Germany this year – a marked decrease. Before the new immigration law came into force, 2,200 foreign experts had moved to Germany with a green card."
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