Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PSE), rapporteur. – (FR) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, there are 175 million migrants in the world and that figure has almost tripled over the last 40 years. This is not a new phenomenon, but it has become particularly widespread within the context of globalisation and above all it is bringing us face to face with human dramas. Each day poverty and despair bring dozens and dozens of Africans to the northern shores of the Mediterranean or to the Canary Islands, and the European States’ only response is to increase the controls and patrols that force the people trying to come here to take even more risks.

This migration policy on the part of the Union is based on an illusion, however! The illusion that we can make our borders impregnable, which stems from an essentially defensive and securitarian approach and which means that all the responsibility is placed on the States of the South. Even the Euro-African conference in Rabat, which will take place on 10 July, will also deal with the issue from the point of view of enforcement and border control, and we will still not hear Africa's voice. This unilateral and self-centred approach is reflected today in the arguments put forward and in the policies of ‘selective immigration’ which are all the rage in Europe. ‘Selective’ immigration for the North, but rather ‘suffered’ by the South, and from now on, therefore, a different approach must prevail in Europe. It is entirely in that spirit that I have drawn up my report. It is along those lines that I wish to propose a new approach, new instruments and to turn migration into a lever for development.

First of all we must make better use of the existing tools, but above all we must maintain our commitments in the field of development aid, and, as we know, the initial phase of development will involve an intensification of migration rather than a slow-down. Of course, increasing aid is not a solution in itself. It is a necessary condition, but in itself it is not enough.

I would like us next to turn attention properly to the AENEAS programme with a view to reorienting it purely towards the development aspect, and also the programme that will succeed it in 2007, but that is far away! At the moment, that programme is above all used for actions aimed at protecting the borders of the North. In 2005, for example, just seven of the thirty-nine projects funded related to countries of the South. Furthermore, if we are to establish one new financial instrument, I believe that we should create a fund to guarantee the continuity of microprojects in the poor countries.

The European Union must also act in the places where migrants are located, in the places where migration begins. It is easy to target the main regions of immigration – they are often the poorest regions – and to fund the establishment of infrastructures there through targeted budgetary support: drinking water, electricity, roads, health centres and schools, in order to dissuade resourceless populations from leaving.

It is also easy to identify the migration poles. We know them: they are the States or large cities with modern means of transport and communication and which are both points of reception and points of departure towards the great migration routes, from the Sahel towards the North for example. Once they are identified, we will be able to implement more actions there than we do today aimed at supporting the populations – particularly the most vulnerable, who are women and children – and help them to achieve autonomy, by means other than by mobility. An information programme on these areas aimed at migrants could also be established.

I believe that Europe must also look to the potential of migrant communities in the rich countries, in terms of what they can do for the development of their countries of origin. I believe that this is a promising route which has the potential to turn migrants into agents of development, in the name of solidarity and mutual aid. This is what is known as co-development. Within this context, we must promote the transfer of funds towards countries of origin, make them more transparent, less expensive, and consider a new financial product that could take the form of a ‘development savings plan’.

The Union, but in particular its Member States, must adopt innovative polices such as assuming responsibility for salary differentials for certain migrants who wish to return to their countries of origin, or systems of dual bases for researchers or doctors, within the framework of institutional partnerships amongst research institutes, universities and hospitals.

We must also encourage circular migration to allow migrants to come and go, in cooperation with countries of origin, of course, and ensuring the transfer of social provision. I believe that this kind of measure will make it possible to replace the current brain drain with a circulation of brains. We are very well aware that, for many Southern countries, migration means the departure of the most skilled and enterprising citizens. This has dramatic effects for the poor countries, since this phenomenon often has an impact on essential sectors such as health and education. From this point of view, I am delighted that the Commission is putting forward proposals aimed at dealing with these challenges.

What I want to see more generally, however, is for Europe to entirely change its thinking and for that thinking to be defended. We have an opportunity, since in September the UN will deal with the issue of migration and development for the first time.

I would like to thank the honourable Members who have supported me in the drawing up of this report.