EU: Policy Plan on Legal Migration, Green paper, Hague Programme

Geschrieben von: Daniel Naujoks

• The Commission will progressively present a set of legislative proposals concerning the conditions of entry and residence for third-country nationals in employment. These proposals will consist of a general framework directive defining the basic rights of all immigrant workers admitted in the EU (together with other horizontal measures) and of four specific directives, addressing the conditions of entry and residence of certain categories of immigrants (highly skilled and seasonal workers, intra-corporate transferees and remunerated trainees). It is worth emphasising that the general framework directive will not deal with procedures and conditions of admission for third-country nationals in employment. Moreover Member States competence to determine the volumes of persons to be admitted remains unaffected.

• The Commission will develop a number of non-legislative tools to substantially improve the access to, exchange and coordination of available information in the field of immigration. These measures will include the setting up of an EU Immigration Portal, the revision and development of the European Job Mobility Portal (EURES) and of the European Migration Network, according to the results of the public consultation just launched, etc.

• As to integration of economic immigrants and their dependents, the Commission will actively follow up the measures proposed in the recent Communication on a Common Agenda for Integration, laying particular stress on the creation of information packages and language and civic orientation courses for newly arrived economic immigrants.

• Given the need of enhancing cooperation with the countries of origin of immigrants in order to effectively manage immigration flows at the benefit of all interested parties, the Commission is proposing several measures which need the cooperation of these countries to be enacted. Amongst these, monitoring and other possible actions in order to limit the worse effects of brain drain; instruments to encourage return and circular migration; professional training and linguistic courses through the establishment of training structures in the Countries of origin under the responsibility of local authorities or NGOs, etc.