Health and Migration Advisory Group Luxembourg, February 25-26, 2008 Migration in employment, social and equal opportunities policies Constantinos Fotakis DG Employment. Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 1
Key Migration Trends in the EU: During the past 20 years, Europe experienced very important annual increases of inward migration. Over the last 5 years, EU net migrant inflows reached an annual level of 2 million. Already since the 1990s, positive net migration became the largest component of population change in most EU Member States, 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 2
Key Migration Trends in the EU: Increased immigration flows mainly due to strong and persisting push and pull factors related to globalisation and the North-South divide in terms of demographic trends and welfare standards 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 3
Migration trends and implication for employment, social policies Challenges in employment: Three million unfilled jobs in Europe, according to recent Commission figures. Growing labour needs mainly in highly qualified labour but also Growing needs in low and medium skills in specific sectors namely in healthcare, agriculture, construction and tourism. 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 4
Low medium skills: Growing needs in specific sectors Growing needs in domestic and care services. The 80+ age group- an important consumer of care services- represents the fastest growing age group. It doubled in size in the period 1970 2000 and it will double again before 2030; The feminisation of the labour force and changes in the family structure and lifestyle have significantly increased the demand for domestic services. 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 5
Growing needs related to eldercare Role of individuals within the household and the link with eldercare : The case of UK 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 Institutional Living alone Lone parent Spouse/Cohab. Child 20 10 0 0_4 5_9 10_14 15_19 20_24 25_29 30_34 35_39 40_44 45_49 50_54 55_59 60_64 65_69 70_74 75_79 80_84 85_89 90_94 95+ Source: Eurostat 2000 Census Round) 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 6
Changing fertility rate/female participation patterns raising demand for domestic services and childcare Correlation between total fertility rate and female labour force in 21 OECD countries 0.8 Period 1960-2000 0.6 0.4 0.2 0-0.2 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995-0.4-0.6-0.8 Source: OECD social indicators 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 7
Employment perspectives in the EU and the link between the Lisbon n Strategy and the EU migration policy EU-27:The demographic constraint for future employment growth 70% of working age population (Lisbon Employment Objective) period 2005-2050 Working age pop. in,000 260.000 250.000 240.000 230.000 220.000 210.000 200.000 190.000 EU employment level 180.000 170.000 70% of the working age population Eurostat Baseline scenario 160.000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 8
Employment perspectives in the EU and the link between the Lisbon Strategy and the EU migration policy EU-27:Migration scenarios and demographic constraints for future employment growth 70% of working age population (Lisbon Employment Objective) period 2005-2050 Working age pop. in,000 260.000 250.000 240.000 230.000 220.000 70% of the working age population with net migration at 2005 levels (1,9 mio per year) 210.000 200.000 190.000 180.000 170.000 EU employment level 75% of the working age population Eurostat Baseline scenario 70% of the working age population Eurostat Baseline scenario 160.000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 9
Contribution of immigration to economic growth Average annual contribution to the GDP growth; Period 2000-2005; in % 1,6 1,4 1,2 1 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0-0,2-0,4-0,6 0,3 0,1 0,2 0,2 0 0,3 1,4 0,2 1 0,6 1,3-0,1-0,2 0,6 0,1 0,8 0,1 0,5 0,5-0,2 0,2 0,3 0,3 0,3 0 0,1-0,4-0,4 0,4-0,1 0,3 Belgium Czech Denmark Germany Estonia Greece Spain France Ireland Italy Cyprus Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Hungary Malta Netherlands Austria Poland Portugal Slovenia Slovak Finland Sweden United Bulgaria Romania EU-25 EU-15 EU-10 EU-27, DG ECFIN 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 10
The key challenges for the EU employment and social policy The situation in Europe in terms of migration is far from satisfactory Skill level: Europe attracts less high skilled immigrants and more low skilled immigrants compared to USA, Australia and Canada while vacancies in highly skilled jobs are increasing; Labour market participation: Participation/ employment rates of immigrants and their descendents remain low in many Member States; Illegal immigration: Illegal migration contributing to irregular work remains high; Inclusion-Antidiscrimination: Almost in all Member-States the integration of immigrants represents an important issue. Immigrants are among the most vulnerable groups. The fight against discrimination represents an important dimension of this issue. 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 11
Defining an effective EU policy approach on migration Better managing migration flows becomes a strategic policy objective for the Member-States and the European Union as a whole. Employment and social policy has an important role in most areas of the EU Migration policy namely: The opening of legal channels to economic migration; Promoting a more effective integration of the immigrants in the host societies; Fighting against illegal migration; Developing partnerships with the countries of origin/transition on migration issues; 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 12
The EU Employment Strategy on Migration The Lisbon strategy pays particular attention to the need of better integrating the immigrants and their descendants in the labour market. The main issue is the low level of qualification of many of the immigrants and those of the second generation. The Guidelines for Growth and Jobs call for more investment in human capital in response to new competence requirements; In particular, the Integrated Guidelines 19(Inclusive Labour Markets) and 20 (Matching of Labour Market needs) underline the need for an appropriate management of economic migration; In the context of the Employment Strategy, the Commission monitors the impact of National Reform Programmes with Annual Joint Employment Reports and encourages Member States to make immigrants' labour market integration a more explicit dimension of their employment policies. 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 13
EU Social Inclusion Process on Migration The Open Method of Coordination of Social Protection and Social Inclusion The 2007 National Reports on Strategies for social inclusion and social protection confirmed the importance of migration issues in the framework of Social Inclusion Process. Several Member-States identified the integration of immigrants as a national priority issue. The social impact of migration will be mainstreamed into the work of the new 2008-2010 cycle. It has been proposed as the focus theme for 2010. Findings and results from ongoing and future work will become part of the Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion. 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 14
The EU Anti-discrimination policy on Migration Antidiscrimination: The EU dispose specific legislative instruments to ensure the ban on age, sex, ethnicity or other form of discrimination in employment and occupation. Directive 2000/43/EC (29 June 2000) implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin and Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation The European Years of Equal opportunities for all (2007) and of Intercultural dialogue (2008) serve as platforms to enhance the relevant debate and potentially the adoption of appropriate measures. During these European Years several awarenessraising initiatives include the dimension of immigration focusing in particular on the host societies. 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 15
The contribution of the European Social Fund Since 2001, the EQUAL Development Partnerships offered innovative experience and good practices in combating discrimination and strengthening the employability of immigrants. It is now up to the Member-States to valorise this experience. The new ESF regulation (for 2007-2013) foresees specific actions in favour of immigrants. The priority "Enhancing access to employment" (ESF regulation art. 3.1(b)) provides for: "specific action to increase the participation of migrants in employment and strengthen their social integration". It will include pathways to integrate persons into employment, specific actions to validate competences and acquired skills, training, counselling and so forth. In the period 2007-2013, an amount close to 2.6 bn, (3.6%), will be allocated to actions aiming to increase migrants' participation in employment. 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 16
PROGRESS: A new employment and social solidarity programme PROGRESS is the EU s new employment and social solidarity programme with a total budget of 740 mio for the period 2007-2013. Working alongside the European Social Fund (ESF), it started in 2007 and will run until 2013. PROGRESS provides support to Member States efforts towards : Strengthening the implementation of the European Employment Strategy and the open method of coordination in the field of social protection and inclusion Improving the working environment and conditions including health and safety at work and reconciling work and family life Ensuring the effective implementation of the principle of non-discrimination and gender equality and its mainstreaming in all EU policies 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 17
For further info on EU Employment and Social Policy http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/index_en.html 20-May-08 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit 18