Commission plans ‘EU blue card’ for migrant workers

The European Commission plans to address the long-term problems faced by the EU over labour shortages by co-ordinating the drive to attract highly-skilled workers to the Union, according to officials.

The plan will be announced in May with the publication of a proposal on the migration of African workers for specific periods of time to member states willing to open their labour markets.

In September the Commission will propose a directive on the admission of highly-skilled labour into the EU which would simplify rules on the migration of such workers by merging labour and residency documents. The Commission will introduce a directive next year on the admission of seasonal workers and paid trainees and by 2009 will bring forward a proposal on the transfer of non-EU employees between companies with offices in various member states.

The ultimate goal of the Commission is to develop an ‘EU blue card’, similar to the US green card, which would allow flexibility for migrant workers coming to the EU who would not have to seek permission when they want to move to another member state and would be allowed to bring their families with them.

Commission officials warned this week that with a declining birth-rate the EU was lagging behind the US and Canada in attracting skilled migrants and Africa could be the answer to future problems. "Africa is experiencing a big explosion of their population. There is a potential in Africa that might be useful to the EU," said one official.

Member states’ concerns over the type of legislation to be introduced in the coming years had been overcome and it was time for governments to realise the major problem which lay ahead in terms of labour shortages, officials said. "We hope politicians see the emergency emerging…now it is about time that the EU gets its act together," said an official.

"The magnitude of the problem is that we think we need a European response."

But member states remain fiercely protective of their right to manage their own migration and are expected to be resistant to Commission ideas. The UK has introduced a new points-based system for migrant workers wanting to enter the state and British officials say it will not merge that well with some Commission proposals. The different definitions of "highly-skilled workers" and the different needs across the EU would also make it difficult for the Commission to take a leading role, said an official. "Italy and Greece have low-skilled migration needs, the UK’s needs are very different," he said.

Germany is said to have come round to the idea of voluntary involvement in Commission migrant admission schemes but remains opposed to proposals which would tie in member states to quotas.

The European Commission plans to address the long-term problems faced by the EU over labour shortages by co-ordinating the drive to attract highly-skilled workers to the Union, according to officials.