Labour Markets Performance and Migration Flows in Arab Mediterranean Countries: Determinants and Effects

This study, which analyses the key labour market determinants of migration flows from selected Arab Mediterranean Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the Occupied Palestinian Territories) finds that employment in AMCs is a major challenge for the region – and for Europe – in the next 10 to 15 years.

Immdiate action is needed because the status quo risks causing permanent damage to the development prospects of those countries. The AMCs' public policies are currently ill equipped to face the challenge. Labour migration remains a key feature of the labour markets in these countries – yet cannot by itself solve the labour market challenges there.

The study makes a number of recommendations including: upgrading the statistics available and conducting further in-depth analysis; upgrading education and training systems; mainstreaming the policy goal of job creation and higher productivity; promoting active labour market policies; creating incentives to hire new graduates and women; creating incentives to transform informal into formal employment; and establishing social protection systems guaranteeing universal coverage, with the emphasis on woker rather than job protection.

It also recommends that the EU upgrade its existing framework for AMC migration not only as a unilateral strategy, but as a cooperative framework for true co-development.