on development and migration

(2005/2244(INI))

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions entitled ‘Migration and development: some concrete orientations’ (COM(2005)0390),

–   having regard to the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third country nationals (COM(2005)0391),

–   having regard to the communications from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on priority actions for responding to the challenges of migration: first follow-up to Hampton Court (COM(2005)0621), on an EU strategy for action on the crisis in human resources for health in developing countries (COM(2005)0642) and on a thematic programme for cooperation with third countries in the areas of migration and asylum (COM(2006)0026),

–   having regard to point IV of the Brussels European Council Presidency conclusions of 15 and 16 December 2005 entitled 'a global approach to migration',

–   having regard to United Nations General Assembly resolutions A/RES/58/208, A/RES/59/241 and A/RES/60/205, which provide for the holding of a high level dialogue on international migration and development during the 61st session of the General Assembly in 2006,

–   having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African Caribbean and Pacific group of states of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (Cotonou Agreement)(1), and amended in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005(2), in particular Article 13 thereof on migration,

–   having regard to the Brussels declaration and plan of action adopted on 13 April 2006 by the first meeting of ACP ministers with responsibility for asylum, migration and mobility,

–   having regard to Decision No 4/2005 of the ACP-EC Council of Ministers of 13 April 2005 on the use of the reserve of the long-term development envelope of the 9th European Development Fund(3),

–   having regard to the report of the United Nations Secretary-General entitled 'World study on the role of women in development, 2004: women and international migration', A/59/287/Add.1,

–   having regard to the World Bank report entitled ‘Global economic prospects 2006: economic implications of remittances and migration'(4),

–   having regard to the October 2005 report of the Global Commission on International Migration entitled ‘Migration in an interconnected world, new directions for action’(5) ,

–   having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Articles 18, 19 and 21 thereof,

–   having regard to the commitments made by the Member States in 2005, and in particular:

–   that the European Union and its Member States will, by 2015, achieve the objective of 0.7% of their gross national product, set by the United Nations, which should bring the Union’s contribution to the Millennium Development Goals up from EUR 33 billion in 2003 to EUR 84 billion in 2015 (conclusions of the Presidency of the European Council held in Brussels on 16 and 17 June 2005),

–   that the European Union and the other donors will double their aid to Africa, which should provide it with official development assistance (ODA) of USD 25 billion in 2010(6) (press release issued on 8 July 2005 by the G8 summit in Gleneagles),

–   having regard to ILO Recommendation No 151 on migrant workers,

–   having regard to the joint declaration by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on the European Union Development policy entitled 'The European consensus on development policy', of 20 December 2005, which lays down the general framework for Community action in the field of development,

–   having regard to the Vienna Declaration adopted at the IVth European Union/Latin America summit of 12 May 2006,

–   having regard to its resolutions of 17 November 2005 on a development strategy for Africa(7), 15 November 2005 on the social dimension of globalisation(8), 26 October 2005 on a Community approach to the management of economic migration(9), 9 June 2005 on the links between legal and illegal immigration and the integration of migrants(10) and 12 April 2005 on the role of the European Union in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)(11),

–   having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on the integration of gender issues in development cooperation,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and the opinions of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A6-0210/2006),

A. whereas, out of 175 million migrants (3% of the world’s population), 40% live in developing countries,

B.  whereas, while migration is not a new phenomenon, the scale of migration in the context of globalisation and the need to raise the awareness of all international players mean that it is now a vital policy area for the international community,

C. whereas immigration has increased significantly since the 1980s and whereas the EU Member States have not responded to it jointly and consistently,

D. whereas the EU takes in immigrants from virtually all developing countries (which means that it receives a large number of immigrants from Asia, Africa and Latin America) and whereas the phenomenon is unlikely to diminish over the next few years,

E.  whereas the international community’s mobilisation is taking a long time to materialise in the form of large-scale actions,

F.  whereas the issue of migration calls for a global response from the international community and whereas the European Union has not to date come forward with any global policy response or equipped itself with tools adapted to the problem,

G. whereas in the absence of a common policy governing migrant flows, the Member States are able to take unilateral decisions which make it difficult for a consistent Community stance to be adopted,

H. whereas the response to the phenomenon of immigration should be the outcome of the broadest possible consensus within the EU,

I.   having regard to the high-level dialogue (HLD) on international migration and development to be held during the General Assembly of the United Nations on 14 and 15 September 2006,

J.   whereas the African Union has made migration a key theme of its actions under the aegis of the Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, Mr Alpha Oumar Konaré,

K. whereas the diversity of motivations, and therefore of categories, of migrants hinders the implementation of coherent, global policies aimed at making migration a lever of development,

L.  whereas, while the main centres of migration are Asia and Latin America, Africa stands out on account of the scale of the negative impact of migration,

M. whereas analyses mainly concentrate on recipient countries in the North, despite the fact that 60% of migrants do not leave the southern hemisphere,

N. whereas the Vienna declaration adopted at the IVth European Union/Latin America summit of 12 May 2006 contains a commitment to take forward the comprehensive dialogue on migration and further enhance cooperation on migration issues between the European Union and Latin America,

O. whereas merely increasing official development assistance is not a response to the issue of the link between migration and development, but specific, innovative tools should also be developed in order to improve recognition and promotion of the role of migrants in the fight against poverty and for development,

P.  whereas the response to the phenomenon should form part of the national and international anti-poverty strategies pursued with a view to achieving the Millennium Development Goals,

Q. whereas the right of southern countries to pursue an autonomous migration policy must be recognised and supported,

R.  whereas, in the view of Southern countries, migration is synonymous with the loss of their best trained and most enterprising citizens and the brain drain is undermining the supply and quality of essential services in various sectors, with particular reference to health and education,

S.  whereas the brain drain is being encouraged by selective admission policies for migrants put in place by northern countries under the term ‘chosen migration’, exacerbating the haemorrhaging of skills from many southern countries,

T.  whereas, according to the Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, Mr Alpha Oumar Konaré, these policies amount to a denial of Africa’s right to development,

U. whereas circular migration, allowing two-way movement between countries of origin and destination, offers major opportunities for the development of host countries and countries of origin,

V. whereas co-development, meaning the fulfilment of the potential represented by migrant communities in developed countries in the service of the development of their country of origin, has the power to make migration a lever of development and of mutual benefit between peoples,

W. whereas transfers of migrants’ funds to their countries of origin constitute a major opportunity for development, the amount of money transferred in this way broadly exceeds public development aid (PDA) on a world scale and whereas in the majority of cases the financial and banking cost of such remittances is extremely high and the processing thereof sometimes lacks transparency; stresses however that these transfers are principally directed towards consumption by families and whereas only a small proportion of them goes towards investment and development,

X. whereas, however, these transfers are not capable of replacing, or justifying a reduction in, public development aid,

Y. whereas, in 2005, there were almost 9.2 million refugees and 25 million person ‘displaced within their country’ in the world, half of whom were in Africa, with no protection at international level, thereby creating an intolerable hierarchy of victims,

Z.  having regard to the increase in ‘ecological’ refugees and displaced persons, the number of which could, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR), reach 50 million within a few years,

AA.  whereas integration of migrants is a two-way process based on the mutual rights and corresponding obligations of legal migrants and the host society, the aim of which is to ensure that immigrants are able to participate in society,

AB.  whereas migrants, who are victims of human trafficking, discrimination and deteriorating social conditions, are still a group which, on the whole, is inadequately protected by the international community and certain national laws,

AC.  whereas no Member State has ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers,

AD.  whereas, since 1999, the European Union has only devoted EUR 15 million to the goal of integration, i.e. EUR 0.5 per immigrant,

AE.   whereas the fight against human trafficking linked to migration and against the trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children should be made a priority at EU level,

AF.   whereas women make up 51% of all migrants in the developed world and 46% in the developing countries(12), and whereas insufficient information is made available concerning the risk involved in illegal migration (with the result that migrant women are more exposed to sexual exploitation, violence, discrimination and exploitation at the workplace), and whereas migration policies do not take account of the specific role played by women,

AG.  whereas migration can enable women to improve their lives, increase their autonomy, support those who are left behind and escape oppressive social relations,

AH.  whereas, however, women are often forced to migrate by problems such as forced marriage, poverty or armed conflicts,

AI.    whereas migrant women are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation, discrimination, exploitation in the workplace and 'brain waste', violence and health risks, social isolation and human trafficking,

AJ.   whereas a significant number of migrant women reside in the EU without legal documents, which heightens the risks of exploitation in the workplace and sexual exploitation and violence to which they are exposed,

1.  Is convinced that the European Union must play a major role to make migration a lever of development;

2.  Stresses that the Union should give a comprehensive political response (regional in nature and focusing in particular on Africa and South-South migration) to the issue of the link between development and migration; calls for the migration issue to be placed at the top of the agenda and the political dialogue between Europe and the various regions with which it has relations, and supports the organisation of a Europe-Africa Summit to identify a common political response;

3.  Considers that European migration and development policy should be based above all on the principles of solidarity with third countries and co-development in order to tackle the underlying causes of migration and, in particular, eradicate poverty;

4.  Reiterates its support for the idea of mobility of human beings as a human right, which therefore cannot be understood in terms of commercial logic; emphasises that any policy in this area must be committed to promoting mobility by choice rather than by necessity;

5.  Points out that the only adequate EU response to the phenomenon of immigration is a Common Strategy which clearly sets out the objectives and the mechanisms available to the Member States for the purpose of addressing the phenomenon jointly and on the basis of mutual support;

6.  Encourages the integration of the migration issue into EU external policies, following the example of the Barcelona Process;

7.  Commends the Council proposal to hold a EuroMed Ministerial meeting on migration in 2006; also welcomes the Euro-African Summit on migration to be held in Rabat in July 2006, to debate the issue of immigration to Europe from the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa;

8.  Welcomes any further steps taken to improve migration policy, and emphasises the need for a comprehensive approach that contains a clear vision of the most important actions to be taken within the field of migration policy, instead of supporting fragmented measures towards the development of this policy;

9.   Recommends that the Council take appropriate measures to ensure better cooperation and coordination between those responsible for migration and those responsible for development in each Member State.

10. Stresses that an increase in development aid is necessary but not sufficient to make migration a lever of development; calls on the European Union and the Member States to meet the political undertakings made in 2005;

11. Recommends that migration and its impact on development be taken into account in an overarching manner in all discussions and actions to achieve the MDGs; points out that a comprehensive strategy will produce results only if an appropriate legal framework exists both within the EU and in the countries of origin;

12. Emphasises that migration should be better integrated into policies and development plans and recommends that, at national level, migration be included in Poverty Reduction Strategy Documents (PRSD);

13. Recognises the importance of diasporas in strengthening relations between the EU and countries of origin, particularly in the field of migration; calls for closer cooperation between institutions in developing countries and the EU Member States, including in the carrying-out of co-development projects;

14. Takes the view that co-development, which consists in recognising and supporting the role of diasporas in serving the development of their countries of origin, should be fully recognised at European level;

15. Stresses that, to make migration a lever of development, the Union should adopt two priority instruments:

–   a specific fund, based on sufficiently flexible and reactive management enabling, in particular, co-development measures to be financed,

–   a guarantee fund to ensure the long-term existence of migrants' micro-projects and maximise their impact on development;

16. Considers that the AENEAS programme and the programme which will follow in 2007 should be used to serve a development strategy, in particular by financing co-development measures; must enable reliable systems for the efficient management of migrant flows and for the provision of support to countries of origin and transit countries to be strengthened; recommends, in pursuit of this aim, that the programme contain the following elements:

-    several credit lines (co-development, research, security etc.) with the possibility of funding projects covering several lines,

-    criteria for choosing projects and rules on the type and amount of aid that may be allocated,

-    a project selection board that is completely free to make decisions within the framework thus defined,

-    a review of the rules imposed on NGOs regarding guarantee fund deposits;

17. Considers that the AENEAS programme and the programme which will follow in 2007 should be used to serve a development strategy, in particular by financing co-development measures, and that this objective should be strictly adhered to in order to avoid, for example, expenditure on further protection of the EU’s external borders;

18. Proposes integrated regional development plans, focusing on the main immigration areas in Africa, to fund:

–   the installation of infrastructure (drinking water, electricity, health centre, school, roads, etc.)

     –   the partial covering of operating costs through targeted budgetary support

     similar measures could also be carried out in the main centres of emigration in Latin America and Asia;

19. Points out how difficult and how expensive it is for immigrants to send capital back to their countries of origin, and how little transparency there is in a system which lies outside the banking sector; maintains that a secure system which protects the data of both sender and receiver is needed in order to ensure that remittances are sent through regulated channels, since other alternative systems used by immigrants may on occasion be usuriously expensive;

20. Calls on the Commission, the Member States and national and international financial institutions to implement policies aimed at:

–   promoting and facilitating the transfer of migrants’ funds, ensuring that they are less costly, swifter and safer, in order to encourage migrants to use formal transfer systems;

     –   improving migrants’ access to financial services,

–   channelling transfers of migrants’ funds towards productive investment, by facilitating access to credit for micro-companies and SMEs and having studies carried out on innovative financial products for the diasporas, such as ‘development savings plans’;

–   ensuring the transparency of financial transactions through ‘informal channels’, particularly the hawala networks;

21. Calls upon the Commission to draw up a proposal for a regulatory framework designed to make the sending of remittances by immigrants to their countries of origin less expensive and more transparent; points out that remittances are the second most important source of external finance for developing countries and that up to 20% of their total value is consumed by handling charges;

22. Acknowledges the importance of the role played by SMEs in creating jobs and in contributing to development; urges the Commission - in cooperation with the European Investment Bank - to develop programmes which will prompt migrants to invest greater amounts in such businesses;

23. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop programmes in order to involve skilled people in the diasporas in the process of development by covering the costs of wage differentials for highly skilled migrants prepared to return to their countries or by setting up ‘dual post’ systems for public sector personnel in southern countries (teachers, researchers and doctors); calls on the Commission to conduct a study on experiences in the Member States with regard to ‘dual posts’;

24. Calls on the European Union and the Member States to encourage circular migration or commuting:

      -     by setting up, with the agreement of the countries of origin, temporary migration     programmes, such as the granting of multiple entry visas to certain persons,

      -     by systematising the transfer of pension benefits and all social security benefits        between countries of origin and countries of destination and ensuring that   workers have real access to these benefits (fewer than 25% of international   migrants live in countries linked by agreements of this type);

25. Welcomes the Commission's proposal to encourage circular migration, with migrants going back and forth between their country of origin and the destination country, thereby making the knowledge and experience they have acquired available to their home country; points out that it is necessary to accompany circular migration with integration measures for outgoing and returning migrants; points to the role of civil society, NGOs and social partners in this process;

26. Also welcomes the Commission's proposals to conduct a dialogue on matters relating to residence and work permits, and to administer migrant worker mobility programmes which will match the available skills of migrants with the needs of the developing country;

27. Calls on the public authorities of the North and of the South to invest in the education and training of citizens; reiterates its support for the ‘20/20’ objective: 20% of public aid from the North and 20% of the national budgets of the South allocated to basic social services;

28. Calls on the Union to include in actual practice the promotion of decent work on the European development agenda, and in particular:

-     to include clauses relating to respect for basic labour standards in all bilateral agreements signed by the Union or its Member States,

           -     to set up monitoring instruments ('bilateral observers'),

-     to promote decent work as a fundamental aspect of a ninth MDG;

      calls, however, for this concept not to be used by the North as a ‘non-tariff barrier’ to access to their markets;

29. Calls on the European Union and the Member States to implement policies aimed at mitigating the adverse economic and social effects of the brain drain on Southern countries:

           -     by redirecting training to sectors suffering from labour force shortages,

           -     by financing co-investment programmes between partners in the North and South for countries and sectors particularly affected by the brain drain;

30. Recommends the adoption of a 'European code of conduct' and national codes in the Member States with a view to disciplining recruitment;

31. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to come forward with a specific programme to respond to the human resources crisis in the health sector in Africa;

32. Welcomes the plan to develop a comprehensive and coherent approach to ethical recruitment of staff in sectors particularly vulnerable to brain drain.

33. Calls on southern countries to develop ‘train and retain’ strategies, in particular by re-evaluating the social professions and emphasising the situation of women who are often subject to discrimination on the basis of gender;

34. Welcomes the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council of 15/16 December 2005 concerning "A global Approach to Migration" and the recent Commission proposals related to the brain drain, remittances, diasporas, temporary/circular migration, social security entitlements, multiple-entry visas, etc.;

35. Stresses that 'brain circulation' constitutes a key factor in strengthening the positive contribution of migration to development, given that developing countries participate fully in the exchange of skills in the global labour market; recommends that the Commission and the Member States make a resolute commitment in this area by proposing measures:

      -  to promote temporary and virtual return on the basis of the EU's current experiences,

      -  to encourage institutional partnerships between organisations in the developing              countries and in the EU Member States (research institutes, universities and hospitals),

      -  to promote the mutual recognition of qualifications;

36. Notes the fact that certain vocational and/or academic qualifications of workers from third countries are recognised either not at all or only with difficulty which makes it hard for such workers to enter the EU Member States’ employment market on equal terms; considers that migrants should have access to training programmes while employed in the EU so that they may develop their professional competency;

37. Calls on the Commission to propose initiatives to facilitate recognition of professional qualifications and lay down minimum standards as regards the establishment of a European system of equivalences for foreign diplomas;

38. Calls for the specific role of women in migration and development to be more effectively taken into account and in particular:

      -   for the gender dimension to be incorporated into all development or co-development    programmes and projects relating to migration,

      -   for women and women's organisations to be the priority target group for measures        aimed at developing a sense of responsibility in the diaspora and providing financial   support for its projects;

      -   for information campaigns to be conducted in the countries of origin concerning the       terms and conditions of legal immigration, legal immigrants' rights and the risks   implicit in illegal immigration, such as trafficking in human beings, violence and   sexual exploitation;

39. Calls on the Member States to promote the means by which female migrant workers may achieve socio-political, economic and psychological empowerment, particularly with regard to their families and acquire the knowledge required for successful integration in the host country, and by which female migrant workers' rights, position and role are secured, while strengthening the role of gender-oriented NGOs and the work of female migrant networks;

40. Calls on the Member States to ensure the principle of non-discrimination is applied with regard to migrant women's access to and participation in the Community job market and to guarantee that their basic social and economic rights, including the right to equal pay, are respected;

41. Calls on the Member States to pay particular attention to the children of migrant women to ensure they benefit from a high level of protection and easier access to health care and education;

42. Considers that the ACP-EU partnership is a particularly appropriate framework for putting forward joint responses to the migration issue, on the basis of Article 13 of the Cotonou Agreement; calls on the Commission to include, in the current negotiations on EPAs or any negotiations on readmission agreements, the following objectives:

           -     equal treatment in relation to social security for ACP nationals, already provided for in the Lomé Convention but not applied,

           -     improved access to short-term visas for nationals of ACP countries, and more favourable rules on the mobility of temporary workers,

           -     implementation of an information programme in the ACP countries for those seeking to migrate to the Union;

43. Supports the proposal set out in the Brussels declaration and plan of action adopted on 13 April 2006 by the ACP ministers with responsibility for asylum, migration and mobility, which calls for the creation of a Virtual Observatory for ACP Migration with the purpose of gathering complete and independent information in order to develop ACP solutions to the challenges of migration;

44. Welcomes the establishment of the ACP-EU facility on migration by the end of 2006; calls, however, on the Commission to clarify its objectives and guarantee that this instrument will not be diverted from its development objectives;

45. Questions the appropriateness and effectiveness of agreements and readmission clauses aimed at linking financial and technical aid to the ‘performance’ of third countries in terms of readmission; emphasises that this policy of demanding something in return threatens to impoverish the countries producing migrants;

46. Calls on the Commission to propose measures to strengthen the Southern countries' capacity to manage autonomous migration policies under the European Migration Fund or the ACP-EU facility;

47. Stresses that the African Union and African regional organisations can play an important role in channelling economic migration in Africa, e.g. through cooperation agreements for co-development between the EU and the countries in which migration originates and bilateral and multilateral agreements, including clauses relating to respect for human rights and ILO standards, and considers that the European Union should support such initiatives;

48. Calls on the Commission, together with the countries concerned, to draw up a strategy designed to support the countries of transit and destination which shoulder the heaviest burden of migrants and to consider action programmes for migrants in identified ‘migration poles’ and transit areas by targeting the most vulnerable groups of migrants (women and lone children) with the following objectives:

           -     helping those populations gain autonomy and realise their potential in ways other than mobility,

           -     improving the conditions of life of migrants in transit, particularly in the Sahel (information centres and help centres for foreign migrants),

           -     proposing the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and of AIDS in the poles and on migratory routes, taking into account the link between the spread of STDs and the circulation of individuals;

49. Calls for these action programmes to focus in particular on the analysis of the psychological effects of migration and expulsion and on psychological care and support for women and children suffering from the negative effects;

50. Encourages the countries of transit and origin to take an active part in the new approach to migration and development;

51. Asks the Commission to initiate dialogue with the countries of origin and to call upon them to prohibit practices which are contradictory to human rights such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage, polygamy and divorce without mutual consent;

52. Calls for the Union to support the initiatives of the international community aimed at clarifying the concepts of political, economic and environmental refugees and to provide each category with suitable protection and assistance; considers that displaced persons should receive the same level of protection as that provided for refugees under the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951; calls on the states and on the international community to ensure respect for the UN’s Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and recommends that these guidelines on the protection of displaced persons be enshrined in an international convention;

53. Is concerned by the financial difficulties facing the HCR; is of the opinion that the Commission should step up its financial support for projects being run by the HCR and that the EU, which is the main contributor to the HCR budget, should bring pressure to bear on the other donors in order to ensure that the HCR has sufficient resources to carry out its role in the best conditions;

54. Calls on the Commission to develop projects in partnership with the HCR and the countries or regional organisations concerned, relating to:

     -    voluntary repatriation operations for refugees and displaced persons,

     -    putting in place accompanying structures to facilitate the resettlement of these    populations;

55. Calls on the Commission to carry out a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of development aid expenditure and programmes in third countries and to assess their results in improving the position of women in migrants' countries of origin;

56. Calls on the Member States to consider more carefully the impact of conflict-induced displacement on the social, physical and psychological situation of migrant women, who, owing to the precariousness of their circumstances, are more likely to become victims of violence;

57. Calls on the Member States and the European Union to ensure that immigrant women victims of violence are fully informed of their rights, have effective access to legal assistance and are able to obtain an independent legal status, residence and work permit;

58. Calls on the Commission and the Council systematically to provide information, through their local representations and embassies, to women who wish to migrate to the EU concerning methods of legal immigration, their prospective rights and obligations and the fundamental values and principles governing European societies;

59. Calls therefore on the Member States to develop development policies and specific programmes designed to ensure that medical, social and psychological care is provided to female victims of conflict-induced displacement and other female migrants who suffer from the mental, physical and social consequences of their displacement;

60. Stresses the importance of the exchange of best practices, among the Member States and also with third countries, particularly developing countries;

61. Regrets that the Commission has not taken properly into account the gender approach in its communication on 'Migration and Development: Some concrete orientations'; proposes the setting up of a permanent and high-level interinstitutional task force in charge of monitoring the development of European immigration policy from a gender perspective in particular to develop gender impact assessment tools before the adoption of any measures in the field of immigration policy;

62. Calls on the Council and the Commission to adopt EU guidelines and concrete and targeted gender objectives and indicators in the field of immigration policy, including awareness-raising actions at national level, ensuring the integration of a gender perspective into immigration policy and a regular assessment of policies from a gender perspective;

63. Calls on the Council, the Commission and the Member States to establish a legal framework guaranteeing immigrant women the right to hold their own passport and residence permit and making it possible to hold a person criminally responsible for taking these documents away;

64. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to intensify their dialogue with women migrants' countries of origin with a view to promoting respect for women's rights and gender equality, and combating poverty and the economic dependence of women;

65. Points out that migration and integration are closely linked and that if migration is to be successful and if all the parties concerned are to benefit, migration strategies must be accompanied by holistic multidimensional integration strategies;

66. Deplores the lack of progress on integration since the Tampere summit in 1999 and considers that the EU must now fulfil its responsibilities in this area; welcomes, in this regard, the setting up of the European fund for the integration of third-country nationals; supports the rapid creation of a European migration observatory in order to accelerate the efforts of the EU and of the Member States in terms of integration;

67. Stresses that migrants are an asset for host countries and insists that this role should be more fully recognised and strengthened; emphasizes the fact that both EU citizens and immigrant workers are subject to rights and obligations which must be observed at all times;

68. Calls on the Member States to make these positive aspects an integral part of their national information campaigns;

69. Calls on the Member States to adopt a fair and transparent procedure to facilitate migrants' access to employment with decent working and health and safety conditions, and conditions of recruitment by firms;

70. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop various youth exchange schemes (to take initiatives under the 7th research framework programme and to promote closer cultural and educational links with the third countries concerned; strengthening cooperation between educational establishments in the EU and the developing countries and to support reintegration measures;

71. Calls upon the Commission (in association with the Member States) to promote and develop exchange programmes for students and young graduates from developing countries which - as in the case of the Erasmus, Erasmus-Mundus, Comenius, Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes (which have achieved fairly good results) - will help to secure the objectives of temporary migration and enable lessons and sound practices to be transferred to the students’ and graduates’ countries of origin;

72. Calls on the Commission and Member States to improve the non-financial, social-professional contribution side of development by assessing the role of young people, improving integration and citizenship as well as linking the relevant stakeholders in the field of economic migration such as non-governmental organisations and Social Partners in countries of origin and destination;

73. Calls on the European Union and the Member States not to consider the migration issue in their relations with third countries as an extension of their restrictive migration policies; is opposed to any out-sourcing of the migration policies of the EU and the Member States, consisting in passing on responsibility for migration issues solely to Southern countries;

74. Points out that the management of migration flows should not be a precondition for any association agreement;

75. Calls for the Commission and the Member States to put forward practical proposals to promote access to legal migration channels in order to combat the illegal labour market and the exploitation to which migrant workers are subjected;

76. Calls on the Member States to introduce a genuine admission policy based on respect for human rights and international law;

77. Urges all EU Member States to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and fully honour their international commitments with regard to the protection of migrants and their families;

78. Notes the increased exploitation of migrant workers and calls on the Member States to ensure the enforcement of European and national employment legislation and to provide all migrant workers with legal and civil protection against abuse and exploitation;

79. Calls on the Union and the Member States to take measures to bring the status of foreigners legally established in the European Union and nationals of the Member States closer together and to provide them with maximum legal security and to move towards achievement of the aim of introducing European citizenship open to non-Community nationals;

80. Recognises the great importance of ensuring at least a common minimum level of rights across the Union for third country nationals; therefore, welcomes the plans to provide a level playing field for all immigrants gaining access to the Union's labour markets;

81. Welcomes the plan to establish a fair and transparent admission procedure for seasonal workers and to grant them rights; believes that due consideration should be given to semi-skilled and low-skilled migrants; considers that it is important to protect this particularly vulnerable category of workers from discrimination and exploitation;

82. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to examine possible actions to be taken to ensure the transfer of pensions and social security entitlements of migrants returning to their countries of origin;

83. Welcomes the Commission's proposal to consider measures concerning the transfer of pension rights, the recognition of qualifications and the operation of mechanisms to facilitate the mobility of researchers and other professionals to enable them, should they so wish, to return to their country of origin and successfully reintegrate;

84. Demands that the Member States ensure that an autonomous status and a work permit are granted to the spouse and children of the principal legal status holder once the request for family reunification is accepted, in order to guarantee and protect their rights fully and facilitate their social integration;

85. Calls on the Member States to consider appointing a key discussion partner (ombudsman) at national or local level to deal with immigrants’ requests and complaints regarding their working conditions, legal certainty or discriminatory treatment, and calls on the Commission to conduct research into good practice in this area on a national and regional level in the Member States;

86. Regrets that there is a lack of recognition of the links between trafficking and migration; notes that many women who are victims of human trafficking have no access to legal or social protection; calls on the Commission and the Member States to focus in their anti-trafficking strategies on prevention and protection of the victims; calls on the Member States to grant these women the possibility of long-term residence;

87. Calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that the fight against trafficking in human beings linked to migration is given EU priority status and that adequate financial resources are devoted to this action; considers that the plan of action in preparation should reflect this priority, attach particular importance to the most vulnerable people, particularly women and children, and insist on the necessary collaboration with countries of origin and of transit;

88. Expects the Commission, when taking measures against organised trafficking in human beings from developing countries, not to criminalise the victims, but to focus on punishing the perpetrators; notes that many women who are victims of human trafficking have no access to legal or social protection; calls on the Member States to grant these women the possibility of long-term residence;

89. Calls on the Council to include the recommendations contained in this resolution in the common position under preparation, with a view to the high-level dialogue on international migration and development to be held by the United Nations in September 2006;

90. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the governments of the EU Member States and ACP countries, the ACP EU-Council and the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The aim of this own-initiative report is to analyse the link between international migration and development as a basis for drawing up recommendations for the European Union’s cooperation and development policy.

At the beginning of the 21st century, there are 175 million migrants in the world (3% of the world population). This figure has virtually tripled in 40 years. 40% of migrants live in developing countries.

The reasons for migration vary. Population growth and poverty are essential factors. However, the history of particular countries, cultural links, language and anti-democratic regimes are also important factors in the migration process. The European Union has a major role to play in making migration a lever of development. This report is intended as a ‘tool box’ from which it can draw ideas in pursuing this objective. However, it cannot be exhaustive, for two reasons.

–   Its purpose is not to give an opinion on the migration policies of the EU and its Member States.

–   On the development dimension itself, the report does not in any way claim to provide a comprehensive picture of such a vast subject; some ideas or recommendations will only be outlined and will need to be developed at a later stage.

(I) The migration issue: a challenge for EU cooperation policy

A - A new approach

EU migration policy is based on two illusions.

An illusion that borders can be made watertight

The EU and its Member States consider the migration issue in their relations with third countries merely as an extension of their restrictive migration policies. They therefore have a defensive and security approach to the issue, which tends to leave all the responsibility to Southern countries (‘outsourcing’ of our migration policy). This is not the subject of this report. However, the rapporteur wishes to stress that the EU will only be able to tackle these migration and development issues by taking the opposite approach.

The illusion that migration is only based on poverty

Contrary to the established view, development initially leads to higher migration levels rather than a slowing down of the process. Increasing aid is therefore not enough as a means of tackling the problem. It is necessary, but not sufficient.

The European Union’s approach therefore needs to be reconsidered. It should be based on innovative tools in order to recognise and promote the role of migrants in fighting poverty and development. We should move from an approach based on ‘more development for less migration’ to ‘improved management of migration for more development’.

Such a policy should be more focused on Africa and South-South migration.

Under the impetus of A. Konaré, President of the African Commission, the AU has chosen to consider migration as a key issue for its action. The EU should place the migration issue at the top of the agenda and of political dialogue between Europe and Africa.

B - New instruments

The European Union has, over the last few months, made a pertinent analysis of the issue of migration and development. However, it does not yet have any suitable instrument to pursue its objectives.

1. - A prerequisite

Honouring the political commitments made in 2005 by the EU on development aid (0.7% of GDP by 2015, doubling aid to Africa by 2010).

2. - Two objectives

(a) Incorporating the issue of migration and its impact on development into the MDGs

Migration is an underlying theme in all the MDGs but is not mentioned explicitly.

(b) Placing the migration issue at the heart of the ACP-EU partnership

Initiatives relating to migration should be included in the current negotiations on EPAs, pursuant to Article 13 of the Cotonou Agreement. The ACP-EU facility on migration, amounting to EUR 25 million, which is to be set up at the end of 2006, should help to strengthen the ACP countries' capacities in the field of migration.

3 - Two priority instruments

(a) A specific fund based on sufficiently flexible and reactive management to finance co-development measures. The EU currently has the AENEAS programme. However, this programme is mostly used for border protection measures and studies, some of which are of dubious value. This programme, and the programme which will follow in 2007, must genuinely be used to serve a strategy to boost the contribution of migration to development, in particular through the funding of co-development micro-projects.

(b) A guarantee fund to guarantee migrants’ micro-projects in the long term and maximise their impact on development. This guarantee aspect is fundamental. This is what is lacking in all the current arrangements in order to ‘move to the next stage’ and enable micro-companies to develop their activities and create SMEs.

(II) Migrants in the service of development in their countries of origin

A - Promoting co-development and enshrining it in European texts

Co-development means the promotion of the potential of migrant communities established in rich countries to serve development in their own countries of origin. Its ultimate purpose is to make migration a lever of development through mutual aid between countries.

B - Encouraging the transfer of funds

The amounts transferred to countries of origin (USD 232 billion in 2005, including 167 transfers to developing countries) are well in excess of ODA, without taking account of informal transfers, which are estimated at least 50% of the official figure. The bulk of these funds is used for family consumption needs, often so as to avoid dying of hunger. Only a small proportion of these transfers are used to finance investments. EU policy should maximise their contribution to development in the countries of origin:

–   encouraging and facilitating transfers of migrants’ funds,

–   improving migrants’ access to financial services,

–   channelling the transfer of migrants’ funds towards productive investment.

C - Preventing the brain drain and mitigating its adverse effect on development

In many Southern countries, migration is synonymous with the loss of their best trained and most enterprising citizens. This brain drain is depriving Southern countries of income and preventing them from benefiting from a ‘return on investment’ devoted to training such people. A more serious consequence is that the migration of professionals in the health and education sectors is jeopardising the supply and quality of essential services in Southern countries. The crisis affecting African health systems is extremely serious and calls for an urgent and specific response. Strategies aimed at ‘training and retaining’ must be implemented in the South. In the North, measures aimed at disciplining recruitment of workers from the South should be adopted as part of European and national ‘codes of conduct’. The main priority should be to promote brain ‘circulation’ in order to offset the adverse effects of the brain drain. One of the most promising types of measures in this area are the ‘dual post’ arrangements which can enable researchers, teachers and representatives of the medical profession from southern countries to devote half their time to an establishment in their own country.

D - Bringing migration policy into line with development requirements

The aim is to encourage circular migration or ‘commuting’ whose contribution is more significant to development in host countries and countries of origin.

(III) Action in relation to South-South migration

A - Strengthening the capacities of Southern countries in managing their own migration policy

The right of Southern countries to conduct an autonomous migration policy rather than an instrument of migration policy dictated by Northern countries should be recognised and the capacities of such countries in this area should be supported.

B - Supporting the initiatives of regional organisations

In official free movement areas (e.g. ECOWAS), one is required to pay to cross an international border. The AU and African regional organisations can play a leading role in channelling economic migration in Africa, e.g. through bilateral and multilateral agreements including clauses relating to respect for human rights and ILO standards.

C - Launching regional ‘Marshall mini-plans’ in the main emigration areas in Africa

Action against illegal immigration could be made more effective as part of an integrated regional approach, targeting a few key areas.

D - Taking measures focused on migration poles and migrants' transit areas

It would be useful to identify ‘migration poles’ where intervention is possible. Migration poles may be defined as points of arrival and departure for voluntary migration flows. These include countries (Gabon, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Libya) and major cities (Dakar, Accra, Cotonou, Douala, Nairobi etc) with modern transport and communication facilities, as well as reception departure and transit areas in the context of the ‘emergence’ of an extremely active migration route (northern Sahel area).

These measures would help support the most vulnerable migrant groups (women and lone children) in order to help them become more autonomous and develop their potential by means other than mobility.

E - Taking greater account of the specific role played by women in migration and development

Migration policies take little, if any, account of the specific role played by women, despite the fact that nearly half (48.6%) of all international migrants are women. What is more, a large number of studies show that support for projects conducted by women is an optimum means of fostering development. Programmes should, in particular, provide support for village banks and women's savings groups, which make a proven contribution to development.

F - Investing in education and training

For several years now, Parliament has been recommending that 20% of EU development funding should be earmarked for basic education and health objectives. There is still a long way to go, however: for example, the EDF allocation for education and health in the ACP countries (4.98% in 2004) falls very far short of this figure.

G - Promoting ‘decent work’

As a world player, the EU should be a leading advocate of an agenda for a decent job and a decent pension for all. 'Decent work' is of dual relevance to migration:

-          in the North, because the rich countries must offer decent work to everyone;

-          in the South, because a development partnership focusing on decent work would be a means of taking action upstream of migration.

(IV)  The specific issue of refugees and displaced persons

A - Displaced persons: forgotten victims of forgotten crises

In 2005, around the world there were nearly 9.2 million refugees and 25 million people who had been 'displaced' inside their own countries by war and persecution, half of them in Africa. Furthermore, millions of civilians are forced to leave their homes by disasters, drought and crises brought about by deforestation and desertification. The number of such people may rise to 50 million over the next few years.

The current refugee protection system makes no provision for assistance to such people, thus creating an intolerable hierarchy of victims. Without having a mandate to do so, the HCR provides assistance to 5.6 million displaced persons over and above the aid it gives to 9.2 million refugees.

The EU must support its efforts and take action to ensure that the international community clarifies the notions of political, economic and environmental refugee and provides each category with appropriate protection and assistance.

But first, there is an urgent need to extend to displaced persons the protection provided for in the 1951 Convention on Refugees.

B - Providing support for the voluntary repatriation and resettlement of refugees and displaced persons in partnership with the HCR and the relevant countries or regional organisation.

(V)    Migration, dignity and human rights

Migrants are the first victims of an increasingly precarious situation brought about by two factors: social inequalities and discrimination; and inequalities between countries and the domination of the South by the North.

A - Protecting migrants' rights

Not a single European State has ratified the most comprehensive instrument on the rights of migrant workers, namely the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers adopted on 18 December 1990 by the United Nations General Assembly, which entered into force on 1 July 2003. They must do so without delay.

B - Fostering the integration of migrants

The inadequacy of the EU's integration efforts are clear for all to see in the following statistic: € 15 million have been spent since 1999 on programmes for the integration of legal immigrants, making for a total of 50 cents per immigrant.

The end-goal remains that of implementing a form of European citizenship that is open to non-Community nationals ('civic citizenship'). In the meantime, the status of non-Community nationals based in the European Union should be brought more closely into line with that of nationals of the Member States and they should be given the greatest possible degree of legal certainty.

C - Combating migration-related trafficking

The closing of borders has created a smuggling economy which has spawned an organised illegal trade in immigrants, forged papers and labour.

The EU must make action to combat migration-related trafficking in human beings a priority. In its action plan, the Commission must focus in particular on the most vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, and emphasise the need for cooperation with countries of origin and transit.

8.5.2006

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

for the Committee on Development

on Development and Migration

(2005/2244(INI))

Draftsman: Ioannis Kasoulides

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on the Committee on Development, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1.   Welcomes the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council of 15/16 December 2005 concerning 'A global Approach to Migration' and the recent Commission proposals related to the brain drain, remittances, diasporas, temporary/circular migration, social security entitlements, multiple-entry visas, etc.;

2.   Encourages the countries of transit and origin to take an active part in the new approach to migration and development;

3.   Underlines the importance of remittances and stresses the need to find ways of transferring funds more quickly, securely and cheaply to the recipients, which would help to facilitate productive investment in developing countries;

4.   Recognises the importance of diasporas in strengthening relations between the EU and countries of origin, particularly in the field of migration; calls for closer cooperation between institutions in developing countries and the EU Member States, including in the carrying-out of co-development projects;

5.   Welcomes the initiatives to reverse the brain drain from certain countries and specialised sectors so that it is transformed into circular migration, and calls for support for building up mutual cooperation between the EU and the countries of origin by means of, for example, institutions and programmes such as AENEAS;

6.   Calls for recognition of the important role of women in migration and in the development of their communities of origin, and urges that the gender dimension be taken into account in all development and migration programmes and projects;

7.   Encourages the integration of the migration issue into EU external policies, following the example of the Barcelona Process;

8.   Recognises the need for co-development cooperation and readmission agreements between the EU and migrants’ countries of transit and origin, with respect for the universal principles of human rights and good governance;

9.   Commends the Council proposal to hold a EuroMed Ministerial meeting on migration in 2006; also welcomes the Euro-African Summit on migration to be held in Rabat in July 2006, to debate the issue of immigration to Europe from the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa;

10. Recommends that the Council take appropriate measures to ensure better cooperation and coordination between those responsible for migration and those responsible for development in each Member State.

PROCEDURE

21.3.2006

OPINIONOF THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT

AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

for the Committee on Development

on Development and Migration

(2005/2244(INI))

Draftswoman: Ona Juknevičienė

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Development, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1.   Considers that clear and well-defined economic migration policy can provide a possible partial short-term solution to shortages in the labour markets arising from the demographic changes which the population of Europe is undergoing; notes that such a policy must not neglect the promotion and realisation of the labour potential of the national labour markets (nationals and already resident migrants);

2.   Calls on the Member States to adopt a fair and transparent procedure to facilitate migrants' access to employment with decent working and health and safety conditions, and conditions of recruitment by firms;  

3.   Points out that migration and integration are closely linked and that if migration is to be successful and if all the parties concerned are to benefit, migration strategies must be accompanied by holistic multidimensional integration strategies;

4.   Notes that most migrants (irrespective of their official status) live in towns and cities and that those towns and cities must respond to migration-related challenges and opportunities, using whatever powers and resources are available; this should be reflected in all migration and development programmes and policies, including programmes such as AENEAS and EuropeAid;

5.   Recognises that the phenomenon of 'brain drain', where the intellectual, academic and professional resources of third countries are reduced as a result of migration to the EU, has a negative impact on those countries' development as a whole by taking away their professional resources; considers however, that attention should be paid to unscrupulous agencies which recruit trained staff under false pretences; welcomes the Commission's proposal to encourage circular migration, with migrants going back and forth between their country of origin and the destination country, thereby making the knowledge and experience they have acquired available to their home country; points out that it is necessary to accompany circular migration with integration measures for outgoing and returning migrants; points to the role of civil society, NGOs and social partners in this process; considers that Member States benefiting from migration should also contribute to meeting training needs in third countries; ; considers it vital that provision should be made to prevent forced migration, particularly with regard to the prevention, monitoring and reduction of human trafficking;

6.   Also welcomes the Commission's proposals to conduct a dialogue on matters relating to residence and work permits, and to administer migrant worker mobility programmes which will match the available skills of migrants with the needs of the developing country;

7.   Notes the fact that certain vocational and/or academic qualifications of workers from third countries are recognised either not at all or only with difficulty which makes it hard for such workers to enter the EU Member States’ employment market on equal terms; considers that migrants should have access to training programmes while employed in the EU so that they may develop their professional competency;

8.   Calls on the Commission to open a dialogue with the governments of countries of origin without delay, in order to achieve balanced legislation, as well as financial and technical assistance, that allows migration and enables professional experience to be developed; calls on it, within the context of this dialogue, to enhance the development of specific measures in the sectors particularly affected by the brain drain (e.g. health care, education and training), in cooperation with the countries concerned; urges the Commission, therefore, to design country-specific programmes which can bring back human, financial, economic and social capital to developing countries in order to strengthen democratic development and the respect and observance of fundamental values;

9.   Notes that migrants can contribute significantly to the development of their home countries by experience gained from working or studying in the EU, but it must be recognised that it should be each migrant's own personal choice whether and in which way to contribute to their home country's development;

10. Considers that remittances constitute very important financial flows to developing countries and welcomes the Commission's proposals to simplify transfers and make them cheaper, and to open up opportunities for migrants who wish to use part of their remittances for any form of investment that supports development in their home country;

11. Welcomes the Commission's proposal to consider measures concerning the transfer of pension rights, the recognition of qualifications and the operation of mechanisms to facilitate the mobility of researchers and other professionals to enable them, should they so wish, to return to their country of origin and successfully reintegrate;

12. Expects the Commission, when taking measures against organised trafficking in human beings from developing countries, not to criminalise the victims, but to focus on punishing the perpetrators; notes that many women who are victims of human trafficking have no access to legal or social protection; calls on the Member States to grant these women the possibility of long-term residence;

13.  Notes the increased exploitation of migrant workers and calls on the Member States to ensure the enforcement of European and national employment legislation and to provide all migrant workers with legal and civil protection against abuse and exploitation;

14. Points out that research and training undertaken by immigrants from developing countries within the EU must be accompanied by the creation of suitable conditions for young business people so that the latter have greater motivation for investing in their countries of origin, with a view to ensuring that remittances of money can be used to greater effect;

15. Acknowledges the importance of the role played by SMEs in creating jobs and in contributing to development; urges the Commission - in cooperation with the European Investment Bank - to develop programmes which will prompt migrants to invest greater amounts in such businesses;

16. Recognises that it is vital to encourage young people to maintain some form of relationship with their country of origin and, enable them, should they choose to, to maintain a commitment to the development of that country; calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop various youth exchange schemes( to take initiatives under the 7th research framework programme and to promote closer cultural and educational links with the third countries concerned; strengthening cooperation between educational establishments in the EU and the developing countries and to support reintegration measures;

17. Also recognises the need to review, in the light of more recent developments, the restrictive measures preventing the free movement of migrant workers from the new Member States with a view to making better use of the EU's existing labour force;

18. Calls upon the Commission (in association with the Member States) to promote and develop exchange programmes for students and young graduates from developing countries which - as in the case of the Erasmus, Erasmus-Mundus, Comenius, Sócrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes (which have achieved fairly good results) - will help to secure the objectives of temporary migration and enable lessons and sound practices to be transferred to the students’ and graduates’ countries of origin;

19. Calls on the Commission and Member States to improve the non-financial, social-professional contribution side of development by helping countries map their diasporas and build links with them, assessing the role of young people, improving integration and citizenship as well as linking the relevant stakeholders in the field of economic migration such as non-governmental organisations and Social Partners in countries of origin and destination.

SHORT JUSTIFICATION

European Union is faced with great challenges, the demographic changes being among the most important ones. Due to the ageing of population, the EU in a very near future will not be able to satisfy EU labour market demands. Hence, it is necessary to develop clear and well defined strategies and policies that would help to prevent or at least, mitigate the damaging economic and social consequences.

One of the possible ways to respond to the EU labour market demands is the economic migration which covers migration from the developing countries to the EU. Although the migration policy has always been the competence of the MS, it is time to respond to the arisen challenges on the EU level.

However, it must be noted, that economic migration can be only a temporary solution and must provide benefits not only to the EU but to the emigrants' country of origin as well.

Therefore, in order to reduce the damaging effects of brain drain in the migrants' home country and to help those countries to effectively use considerable benefits received from the return migrants, the EU should encourage various measures, including circular migration, closer links with diaspora, promotion of youth cultural and educational exchange programmes.

PROCEDURE

4.5.2006

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS

for the Committee on Development

on Development and Migration

(2005/2244(INI))

Draftswoman: Edit Bauer

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs calls on the Committee on Development, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

A. whereas integration of migrants is a two-way process based on the mutual rights and corresponding obligations of legal migrants and the host society, the aim of which is to ensure that immigrants are able to participate in society,

1.  Considers that the admission of economic migrants can bring benefits to all the parties concerned;

2.  Considers that European migration and development policy should be based above all on the principles of solidarity with third countries and co-development in order to tackle the underlying causes of migration and, in particular, eradicate poverty;

3.  Welcomes any further steps taken to improve migration policy, and emphasises the need for a comprehensive approach that contains a clear vision of the most important actions to be taken within the field of migration policy, instead of supporting fragmented measures towards the development of this policy;

4.  Calls on the Member States to introduce a genuine admission policy based on respect for human rights and international law;

5.  Calls for the Commission and the Member States to put forward practical proposals to promote access to legal migration channels in order to combat the illegal labour market and the exploitation to which migrant workers are subjected;

6.  Emphasises that the Union should integrate the joint management of migration flows more efficiently in its relations with third countries and that the association agreements should reflect the commitment of both parties to accept their responsibilities in the field of border controls and management of migration flows; stresses, however, that this must take place on a partnership basis and that the European Union should under no circumstances externalise the management of its borders with third countries; also points out that the management of migration flows should not be a precondition for any association agreement;

7.  Stresses the positive effect of active involvement of migrants in the development of their country of origin on their integration in the country of residence; believes that a partnership approach between the Union and countries of origin should mainstream migration policy; therefore encourages migrants to maintain and develop their links with their countries of origin;

8.  Points out the necessity of the effective integration of migrants; however, is convinced that it is important to recognise the ´dual identity´ of migrants; in this regard, calls on the Commission and the Member States to avoid the trap of forced assimilation; considers, in other words, that migrants should be able to participate in the economic, social, cultural and civil life of the host country and, on the other hand, that they should respect the fundamental norms and values of the host society and participate actively in the integration process, without having to relinquish their own identity;

9.  Draws attention to the need to maximize the developmental impact of return migration and circular migration; favours the examining of possible measures to simplify former migrants' return to their former host country or even to provide mechanisms and channels to enable migrants to move relatively easily between their countries of origin and destination;

10. Calls on the Commission to propose initiatives to facilitate recognition of professional qualifications and lay down minimum standards as regards the establishment of a European system of equivalences for foreign diplomas;

11. Recognises the great importance of ensuring at least a common minimum level of rights across the Union for third country nationals; therefore, welcomes the plans to provide a level playing field for all immigrants gaining access to the Union's labour markets;

12. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to consider the option of introducing carefully designed temporary migration programmes as a means of addressing the economic needs of both countries of origin and destination;

13. Welcomes the plan to establish a fair and transparent admission procedure for seasonal workers and to grant them rights; believes that due consideration should be given to semi-skilled and low-skilled migrants; considers that it is important to protect this particularly vulnerable category of workers from discrimination and exploitation;

14. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to examine possible actions to be taken to ensure the transfer of pensions and social security entitlements of migrants returning to their countries of origin;

15. Favours the examining of possible measures to make remittances cheaper, faster and safer; however, stresses the great importance of the fight against money laundering and of the need to avoid any possibility of supporting terrorist organisations;

16. Calls on the Commission to strengthen measures on remittances, so that they comply with the proposal for a Regulation on information on the payer accompanying transfers of funds; points out that formal and recorded remittances are preferable to informal flows because they reduce the risk that migrants and recipients will be exploited by clandestine money laundering;

17. Welcomes the plan to develop a comprehensive and coherent approach to ethical recruitment of staff in sectors particularly vulnerable to brain drain.

PROCEDURE

5.5.2006

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY

for the Committee on Development

on Development and Migration

(2005/2244(INI))

Draftswoman: Feleknas Uca

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality calls on the Committee on Development, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

-     having regard to the UN 2004 World Survey on the role of Women in Development: Women and International Migration,

-     having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on the integration of gender issues in development cooperation,

-     having regard to ILO Recommendation 151 on Migrant Workers,

A.  whereas women make up 51% of all migrants in the developed world and 46% in the developing countries(13),

B.   whereas migration can enable women to improve their lives, increase their autonomy, support those who are left behind and escape oppressive social relations,

C.  whereas, however, women are often forced to migrate by problems such as forced marriage, poverty or armed conflicts,

D.  whereas migrant women are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation, discrimination, exploitation in the workplace and 'brain waste', violence and health risks, social isolation and human trafficking,

E.   whereas a significant number of migrant women are resident in the EU without legal documents, which heightens the risks of exploitation in the workplace and sexual exploitation and violence to which they are exposed,

F.   Calls on the Member States to promote the means by which female migrant workers may achieve socio-political, economic and psychological empowerment, particularly with regard to their families and acquire the knowledge required for successful integration in the host country, and by which female migrant workers' rights, position and role are secured, while strengthening the role of gender - oriented NGOs and the work of female migrant networks;

1.   Demands that the Member States ensure that an autonomous status and a work permit are granted to the spouse and children of the principal legal status holder once the request for family reunification is accepted, in order to guarantee and protect their rights fully and facilitate their social integration;

2.   Calls on the Member States to develop gender-sensitive policies and programmes to improve the living and working conditions of female migrants, including hygiene and safety and their economic and social situation, and guarantee them better access to education, social and health services, language training and vocational training and to involve migrant women organisations in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of such policies;

3.   Calls on the Member States and the European Union to take measures against the phenomenon of 'brain waste' such as the recognition of diplomas;

4.   Calls on the Member States to ensure the principle of non-discrimination is applied with regard to migrant women's access to and participation in the Community job market and to guarantee that their basic social and economic rights, including the right to equal pay, are respected;

5.   Insists in particular on the need to allow illegally resident migrant women access to health care and to legal and psychological assistance, particularly via gender-oriented NGOs and female migrant networks;

6.   Calls on the Member States to pay particular attention to the children of migrant women to ensure they benefit from a high level of protection and easier access to health care and education;

7.   Urges the Commission and Member States to take steps to ensure regulation of migratory flows and recognition of diplomas, with a view in particular to enabling both male and female migrant workers to give their countries of origin the benefits of the skills and qualifications they have acquired;

8.   Asks the Commission to initiate dialogue with the countries of origin and to call upon them to prohibit practices which are contradictory to human rights such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage, polygamy and divorce without mutual consent;

9.   Insists in particular on the need to improve women's education and training in their country of origin and to encourage circular migration to reduce the negative impact of the 'brain drain' phenomenon and to support development in countries of origin;

10. Regrets that there is a lack of recognition of the links between trafficking and migration; notes that many women who are victims of human trafficking have no access to legal or social protection; calls on the Commission and the Member States to focus in their anti-trafficking strategies on prevention and protection of the victims; calls on the Member States to grant these women the possibility of long-term residence;

11. Calls on the Commission to carry out a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of development aid expenditure and programmes in third countries and to assess their results in improving the position of women in migrants' countries of origin;

12. Calls on the Member States to consider more carefully the impact of conflict-induced displacement on the social, physical and psychological situation of migrant women, who, owing to the precariousness of their circumstances, are more likely to become victims of violence;

13. Calls on the Member States and the European Union to ensure that immigrant women victims of violence are fully informed of their rights, have effective access to legal assistance and are able to obtain an independent legal status, residence and work permit;

14. Calls on the Commission and the Council systematically to provide information, through their local representations and embassies, to women who wish to migrate to the EU concerning methods of legal immigration, their prospective rights and obligations and the fundamental values and principles governing European societies;

15. Calls for the immigrants who die while trying to reach the coasts of the European Union - such as the estimated 1500 immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, including women and children, lost at sea off the Canary Islands over a period of 45 days - to be remembered; urges the Commission once more to define and develop a strategy to support those areas of the European Union that face the most migratory pressure and whose needs are greatest when it comes to providing an immediate response to this phenomenon;

16. Calls therefore on the Member States to develop development policies and specific programmes designed to ensure that medical, social and psychological care is provided to female victims of conflict-induced displacement and other female migrants who suffer from the mental, physical and social consequences of their displacement;

17. Stresses the importance of the exchange of best practices, among the Member States and also with third countries, particularly developing countries;

18. Criticises the Commission for not taking properly into account the gender approach in its communication on 'Migration and Development: Some concrete orientations'; proposes the setting up of a permanent and high-level interinstitutional task force in charge of monitoring the development of European immigration policy from a gender perspective in particular to develop gender impact assessment tools before the adoption of any measures in the field of immigration policy;

19. Calls on the Council and the Commission to adopt EU guidelines and concrete and targeted gender objectives and indicators in the field of immigration policy, including awareness-raising actions at national level, ensuring the integration of a gender perspective into immigration policy and a regular assessment of policies from a gender perspective;

20. Calls on the Council, the Commission and the Member States to establish a legal framework guaranteeing immigrant women the right to hold their own passport and residence permit and making it possible to hold a person criminally responsible for taking these documents away;

21. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to intensify their dialogue with women migrants' countries of origin with a view to promoting respect for women's rights and gender equality, and combating poverty and the economic dependence of women;

22. Urges the international community to foster efforts to reach the MDG in the fields of poverty reduction, the empowerment of women and the elimination of discrimination, by placing particular emphasis on the education of girls, the improvement of maternal health and women's access to political life.

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(1) OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3 (2) OJ L 287, 28.10.2005, p. 4 (3) OJ L 164, 24.6.2005, p. 46 (4) http://www.worldbank.org/globaloutlook (5) www.gci.org, October 2005 (6) This is equal to doubling the aid provided in 2004. (7) Texts adopted, 17.11.2005, P6_TA(2005)0445. (8) Texts adopted, 15.11.2005, (P6_TA(2005)0427. (9) Texts adopted, 26.10.2005, P6_TA(2005)0408. (10) Texts adopted, 9.6.2005, P6_TA(2005)0235. (11) OJ C 33 E, 9.2.2006, p. 311. (12) ILO: Preventing discrimination, exploitation and abuse of women migrant workers: an information guide - booklet 1: why the focus on women international migrant workers. Geneva, 2003, ILO, p.9. (13) ILO: Preventing discrimination, exploitation and abuse of women migrant workers: an information guide - booklet 1: why the focus on women international migrant workers. Geneva, 2003, ILO, p.9.