Legal immigration will be developed
in such a way as to make the EU
more attractive to qualified workers, researchers and students from third countries .© CE

The Justice and Home Affairs Council, meeting on 25 September, approved the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum with a view to its adoption by the European Council on 15 and 16 October.

The Pact is an initiative of the French Presidency and was unveiled in July. It sends a strong political signal to countries outside the EU, following on from the Global Approach to Migration adopted by the Council in December 2005, and seeks to establish clear and comprehensive management of immigration and the asylum policy.

Intended as a basis for a genuine common European policy on immigration and asylum, the Pact proposes a number of strategies. Legal immigration will be developed in such a way as to make the EU more attractive to qualified workers, researchers and students from third countries – while avoiding a brain drain – illegal immigration will be controlled through an effective return and removal policy and by strengthening border controls.

With a view to establishing a common European asylum policy, the Pact envisages the creation of a European support office with the task of facilitating the exchange of information and cooperation between Member States on asylum applications. The establishment of a single asylum procedure is also mentioned, together with procedures for ensuring solidarity between Member States where massive numbers of asylum-seekers need to be managed and reallocated.

The Pact will therefore enable the European Union to meet the challenges of the years to come and lays down the basis for the requisite cooperation between Member States in managing migratory flows.

Further information:

Unveiling of the Pact

The Blue Card Directive

The Council noted that all delegations supported the proposal for a Directive on conditions of entry and residence of third‑country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment. By establishing a flexible common fast-track procedure for the admission of third-country nationals the Directive seeks to attract highly qualified immigrants by offering attractive residence and mobility terms to them and their families. This strategy should allow Member States to react speedily and effectively to labour shortages. In contributing in this way to European competitiveness, the Directive is in line with the Lisbon Strategy.

Third-country nationals who satisfy the conditions laid down in the proposed Directive may acquire a Blue Card, allowing them and members of their families to enter, reside in and leave a Member State, to transit through the other Member States and to have access to the labour market in the sector concerned. They will also be eligible for equal treatment with nationals of the Member State concerned in a whole range of areas.

Further information:

Council press release (pdf)

Broadcast of the Council press conference

Forthcoming events:

Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 29 and 30 September in Luxembourg

Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council, 2 October in Luxembourg