'Blue Card' proposal to attract foreign workers sparks EU dispute

Commission President José Manuel Barroso said: "Migration is one of the great issues of our age. The Commission has a clear twin-track strategy. Encourage legal migration that is beneficial to migrants, to their countries of origin and to Europe. Clamp down on illegal migration. We will bring forward two proposed Directives on labour immigration in October, complementing the proposal already put forward on sanctions against those who employ illegal migrants."

Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimír Špidla said: "I am strongly convinced: Today's Europe has no choice between a future with or without immigration. The only choice it has is between an immigration that is well or badly managed. (...) The European Union is developing an ambitious and balanced policy on immigration and integration. In my point of view, it is necessary to master the immigration and integration of migrants from a social cohesion point of view, which is, I would say, the one value that distinguishes Europe from the other great Western civilisations." 

Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said: "Countries with rapid economic growth in recent years, such as Spain and Ireland, have clearly benefited from the in-flow of skilled workers from both within and outside the EU. Across the EU all skill levels are required. The challenge is to attract the workers needed to fill specific gaps. Working together makes the EU stronger not just when dealing with problems such as illegal migration and border management, but also in seizing the opportunities which migrants embody. Common action at EU level also gives member states a stronger voice on the international stage, bearing in mind that there is competition between different countries and regions of the world for skilled migrants, especially with high qualifications." 

German Minister of the Economy Michael Glos (CSU; Bavarian Christian-Conservative) rejected the Commission's proposals immediately after their presentation. He declared that Germany could not "get masses of foreign workers just because we need them for the time being", and added: "That would be equal to opening and closing a water tap." Glos pointed out that "there is a large reservoir of unused labour in Germany". Politicians from the other parties who are partners in Angela Merkel's government - the Social Democrats and Merkel's Christian Democrats - argued along the same lines. 

UK Green MEP Jean Lambert said: "The new shift in emphasis by Justice Commissioner Frattini to focus EU policy on legal migration and integration is most welcome. The EU needs immigration and we should not be afraid to say so, as Commissioner Frattini has done this week. We have much to gain culturally, socially and economically from adopting a more coherent EU-level approach to immigration and the proposed 'blue card' is certainly one positive initiative to this end. However, a successful immigration policy does not just stop once the visa is issued: a comprehensive approach, dealing with the integration of immigrant communities is crucial. To this end, we particularly welcome the focus of the Commission on participation and citizenship, as well as on preventing alienation and discrimination against immigrants."

Bashy Quraishy, President of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), said: "Although in principle every person in the EU is entitled to equal treatment regardless of his or her legal status, the reality in most EU countries is that migrants and their descendents increasingly face racism and discrimination. ENAR is seriously concerned about the lack of respect for the rights of third country nationals. EU policy and decision makers present at the conference must find solutions to reverse this situation and urge EU leaders to live up to their commitment to fundamental rights."