Immigration, the biggest factor playing role in European Union's (EU) population rise, turns out to be a huge problem for the EU. Widely known assumption about migrants' contribution to economic development as they provide cheap labour force, has started to be debated as the member states have difficulties in integrating them to socio-economic system.
In 2012, as Eurostat announced, the increase in natural population was 217,000, while net migration was 882,000, which means around 80 percent of population rise originated from immigration. On the other hand, a European Commission report of earlier this year showed that one third of EU population will be over 65, while net immigration will reach 60 million by 2060. This situation flared the debates whether EU population decrease could be substituted with immigration flow.
Speaking to AA, Professor Emeritus Robert Cliquet from Brussels said, "Migration should not be used to resolve the socio-demographic challenges of population decline and ageing. On the other hand, it is understandable that Europe tries to limit or control immigration, because its social protection system cannot absorb the huge and increasing potential immigration push from developing countries."
Cliquet added, European countries, just as other developed nations, would try to favour selective migration, corresponding to their national interests.
"Selective migration results for developing countries in brain drain and is not in the interest of these countries. European immigration policies should concentrate on educating and training young people from developing countries and send them back to their countries so that they can contribute to the development of their countries of origin."
London based Population Matters Director Simon Ross said that they did not see migration as the answer to the need for working population.
"We think high consumption areas like the EU should have zero net migration. Labour shortages should be met by helping people to work later in life, by encouraging women to work, by reducing unemployment and by improving productivity and discouraging unnecessary jobs."
After the World War II, immigration from southern Europe and beyond was welcomed due to the need for immigrants in the labour market. Following the oil crisis during the 1970s, Europe’s need for such workers diminished, and many countries closed their immigration programmes.
By Selen Tonkus
englishnews@aa.com.tr
