EU ministers endorse immigration pact
25 September 2008, 14:32 CET

(BRUSSELS) - EU interior ministers endorsed Thursday sweeping new guidelines for managing immigration, but struggled to agree on a Blue Card scheme aimed at attracting highly skilled workers to Europe.

In talks in Brussels, the ministers signed off on the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, which has been criticised by some African and Latin American nations, paving the way for EU leaders to rubber stamp it next month.

The pact -- a document of political intent but not binding laws -- sets out principles for managing migration, fighting illegal immigration and forming partnerships with countries people leave or travel through to get to Europe.

It also seeks to make border controls more effective while building better asylum policy.

"This pact is a great step forward. It's a political pact, but does not impose rules. This pact has the great virtue of allowing countries some leeway" in the way they apply it, said Spanish Immigration Minister Celestino Corbacho.

The agreement paves the way for legal immigration to be based on a state's needs and ability to welcome people, while combatting illegal immigration and ensuring that foreigners who do not have papers are removed.

EU nations would base legal immigration on workers or professionals whose skills are tailored to their particular labour needs, favouring those who would stay in their countries long term.

The ministers also agreed to try to avoid handing out residency permits en masse. Italy and Spain have angered some of their partners by giving papers to some 700,000 people in recent years.

Refugees will be increasingly obliged to apply for asylum from outside -- some 220,000 people did so last year -- although the European Union will strive to better channel aid to those countries they are fleeing.

"Getting a clear statement against mass regularisations is a very important line in the sand," said Britain's Immigration Minister Liam Burn.

"The trick now is to turn ideas into action," he added, saying he would head to Paris next week to talk about ways to rapidly implement parts of the pact, particularly on joint returns of illegal immigrants.

EU leaders are expected to green light the text at their autumn summit in Brussels on October 15 and 16.

Making progress on the new Blue Card scheme proved more difficult.

The ministers struggled to define the notion of "highly skilled" workers, with consensus forming on the idea that applicants would have to be earning 1.5 times the average salary in the state they hope to work in.

Recognised qualifications or five years experience would also be needed.

With their population growth in decline, EU member states are looking to foreign labour to fill certain jobs. But are struggling to compete with the United States, which attracts roughly twice the number of skilled workers.

The Blue Card, which takes its name from the EU flag, blue with golden stars and whose name resonates with the US "green card", would entitle highly qualified third-country nationals to a series of rights in any EU nation.

But the idea has been vastly watered down from when it was proposed by the European Commission a year ago. It will not allow those who are selected to move around as freely as first envisaged.

Indeed a person who qualifies would have to apply again should he or she wish to work in another EU country, with the same criteria applying once more.

"The Blue Card doesn't regulate access to national labour markets," German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaueble said. "The expectations for the Blue Card have always been exaggerated."
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