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Monday, August 22, 2011

Global Approach to Migration: Caritas Europa quoted in Commission's Summary of Stakeholder Responses

"Migrants should have the opportunity to enter the EU for work, and return if needed or desired. However, if migrants are within the EU and express this need or desire, assisted return and reintegration should be offered, as part of a coherent policy," says Caritas Europa in EC's report.



Brussels, 12 August 2011 - Caritas Europa’s responses to the European Commission’s Public Consultation on the Global Approach to Migration (GAM) were highly appreciated by the Commission. Caritas Europa is explicitly quoted in the EC’s Summary of Stakeholder responses, published on 22 June 2011.

Caritas Europa’s response to EC’s questionnaire was drafted with contributions from around ten Member Organisations (MOs). In its responses, Caritas Europa emphasised the importance of full rights for migrants and suggested that migrants in a secure situation, legally, socially and emotionally, are able to better participate and contribute to a receiving society. Thirdly, migrants should be able to travel between and reside in the country of origin and the destination country without limitations or fear of losing residence and social rights, which is how Caritas Europa understands “circular migration”. Such approach would increase migrants’ potential to invest in their home countries.

In the Summary of Stakeholder responses, Caritas Europa is quoted twice. First in Box 2, on page 5, where CE stated on the future of GAM’s priorities:


"The GAM should not become a more strategic, long-term policy framework. It should rather be integrated in a strategic, long-term policy framework for the EU’s internal and external policies, clearly expressing and respecting the EU’s commitment to Policy Coherence for Development. Such approach would also reflect the right order of priorities: development oriented policy rather than migration management or security oriented policy. In a true commitment to development, ensuring growth in developing countries needs to be given an equal attention to the priority of achieving the Europe 2020 goals".


Secondly, in Box 8, on page 16, Caritas Europa is quoted on Migration and Development:


"Contributing to ensuring policy coherence between migration and development policies, for the benefit of development, should be the main concern/target of EU action in this area. And again, all action should respect the fundamental principle of protecting migrants’ rights. Facilitating transfer of pension rights and social security benefits would contribute to respecting this fundamental principle. Migrants should have the opportunity to enter the EU for work, and return if needed or desired. However, if migrants are within the EU and express this need or desire, assisted return and reintegration should be offered, as part of a coherent policy. Diaspora communities and individual migrants are agents of development. There is certainly a need for innovative ways to stimulate Diaspora communities to invest in job creating activities in countries of origin. Giving long term residence permit with the possibility to travel freely between country of residence and of origin encourages a dynamic process of circular migration and creates an enabling environment for migrants to invest in their country of origin."



For more information, please contact:

Thorfinnur Ă“marsson
Communications Officer
tomarsson@caritas-europa.org
+32 (0)473 34 13 93
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