Frattini calls for debate on future of economic migration

Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini has told
the Financial Times that he will present a
strategy to improve the EU’s managent of economic
migration before the end of 2005.

The EU should find new ways to deal with economic migration
in order to ease a skills shortage and the threat of an ageing
population, the Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security
Franco Frattini has told the Financial
Times. 

A new strategy, to be delivered by the end of 2005, should
help attract workers at times of acute skills or labour shortage by
allowing fast-track migration and by launching US-style
green card systems, Frattini was quoted as saying. In
parallel, the rights of migrants should be considered together
with possible incentives, including long-term residency in the
EU. Frattini underlined that a broad consultation with
stakeholders, including the member states, companies and trade
unions would precede the launch of the proposals.

Attracting skilled labour was one of the recommendations of
former Dutch premier Wim Kok in his recent report assessing
progress made on the Lisbon strategy (see also EURACTIV 16 November 2004).

Meeting on 4-5 November, the European Council adopted the
so-called ‘Hague programme’, a new five-year multiannual programme
in the field of freedom, security and justice setting
priorities for the Commission (see also EURACTIV 8 November 2004).

Although qualified majority voting and the co-decision procedure
will apply in the fields of asylum, immigration and border control
issues from April 2005, legal immigration is an exception to this
rule.

Read more with Euractiv

We're reaching out to Europe, says Powell

Before meeting with his NATO counterparts on 9 December, outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell has called on the EU and US to heal their divisions.