The European Parliament's Committee on civilian Liberties (LIBE) approved a fresh European Commission plan to bring at least 7 million workers outside the European Union by 2030.
Project, known as EU Talent Pool, is intended to facilitate labour migration from 3rd planet countries, mainly Africa, to EU associate States in order to bridge the shortages of staff in key economical sectors.
The plan provides for the simplification of visa procedures and the creation of a centralised recruitment strategy for abroad workers. The Commission argues that Europe needs a fresh approach to labour migration in the face of an ageing population and labour shortage.
Critics – above all right-wing parties – warn, however, that this is simply a road to mass migration that will lead to force on social systems, wage cuts and further marginalisation of local workers. They besides indicate that the task is motivated by ideologically alternatively than a real request for highly skilled labour.
The European Commission does not hide that the programme is mostly intended to mark young and unemployed Africans. This message has provoked outrage among many Euro MPs who accuse Brussels of deficiency of support for family-friendly policies within the Union and the promotion of a "cultural exchange" model alternatively than integration.
Mr Charlie Weimers (ECR) stressed that despite authoritative narratives of staff shortages, 12 million people are presently unemployed in the EU. According to him, the plan is an ideologically motivated effort to change Europe's social structure permanently.
The main political forces – the European People's organization (EPP), Socialists (S&D), Liberals (Renew) and Greens – supported the project. All conservative groups voted against and the utmost left abstained.
The Patriots Group for Europe, the 3rd largest faction in the EP and the main opposition to the project, was deprived of the right to present its position – the president of the committee blocked the speech of Euro MP Tom Vandendriessche. In a press statement, the politician pointed out that Talent Pool This is not a selection strategy for migration of high-class specialists, but a mechanics for mass-collection of inexpensive labour.
Alternative: family-based policy alternatively of migration
Critics of the plan stress that Europe is not taking real attempts to address the demographic crisis with interior measures specified as family-friendly policies. The example of Hungary, which implemented an extended strategy of incentives to have children (including the full exemption of mothers from income taxation after the birth of the second child), was ignored by the Commission.
"If we want to strengthen the European economy, we should invest in innovation and local talent, not in the mass migration of millions of people outside Europe," Vandendriessche concluded.
The proposal will now be put to the plenary vote in the European Parliament. Although the decision has not been formally made, most observers anticipate the result to be akin to that of the committee.
