euro|topics - Is the European blue card on its way?

Main focus of Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Is the European blue card on its way?

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.

Klassa - Bulgaria

According to the newspaper Europe's blue card won't be able to hold its own against the US's green card: "The EU has finally understood that in the face of the growing competition in the global economy it needs to import intelligence. ... But the blue card looks like a stillbirth. For one thing it has a two-year time limit, whereas the green card is unlimited. You can have it extended or look for another job, but if you don't find one you have to leave. Exactly two years ago the idea of a green card was discarded in Germany. Instead of the five thousand skilled Bulgarians and Indians it was supposed to attract, only a few hundred came. Most of them left the country once their limited contracts expired and headed for the US." (24/10/2007)

Die Welt - Germany

The newspaper's Brussels correspondent Christoph B. Schiltz sees the blue card as a "correct approach", but no more: "Will the European Commission's proposal, which unfortunately has been watered down on the insistence of member states like Germany, be enough to succeed in the battle for skilled workers with the US and the Asian economies? It's doubtful. For one thing the proposed solution puts considerable restrictions on worker mobility: the work permit is valid for only one country rather than all EU states. ... Ultimately the reservations within the grand coalition could lead to either the failure or further watering-down of the blue card. That may win Germany's ruling party more votes, but it would be fatal for Europe's economies." (24/10/2007)

La Libre Belgique - Belgium

The Social Science researcher Marco Martiniello, director of the Centre d'Etudes de l'Ethnicité et des Migrations (CEDEM) in the University of Liège, has been interviewed by Olivier le Bussy on the European blue card project. "It is clearly difficult to get member states to see things in more or less the same way. There is economic competition between Member States, a sort of latent battle to attract highly qualified migrants. Some are therefore against this European disposition, because they fear they might loose some feathers from their caps, because it touches their sovereignty. It is notably easier to progress on restrictive questions such as expulsions. But when it comes to economic immigration and integration, the States continue to have cold feet. And yet the immigration phenomenon is in essence transnational." (24/10/2007)

Der Standard - Austria

Eric Frey criticises Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer for rejecting the blue card and insisting on clinging to the country's national immigration policy. "The chancellor knows perfectly well that over the next few years the EU regulations he once agreed to will open the local labour market to millions of people seeking jobs. So why not open it to a few thousand engineers from other countries instead of sending them all over to Arnold Schwarzenegger in California? And why not give them the freedom to move to Austria after gathering two years' job experience in Ireland or Denmark? ... Citizens complain that the EU is no good because it isn't allowed to offer solutions in areas where they're urgently needed. Frattini's blue card offers such a solution - and is also a good way to put Europe's ability to face the challenges of the future to the test." (24/10/2007)

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, October 24, 2007

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