Brussels, Jan 29 (EFE).- The European Commission on Thursday unveiled two new migration strategies, one on visas and another outlining a five-year plan to curb irregular migration, moves that effectively reinforce the European Union’s tougher stance on immigration.
With these initiatives, the commission aims to reduce what it terms “illegal” migration, according to European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, while also stepping up efforts to combat human trafficking networks and attract skilled workers to boost the EU’s economic competitiveness.
Under the new visa strategy, requirements for obtaining visas will become stricter and more closely linked to factors such as third countries’ cooperation on returns and re-admissions.
The plan also allows for the suspension, denial or restriction of visas for countries that carry out “hostile actions” undermining the security of the EU.
The strategy further calls for tighter oversight of existing visa-exemption regimes with countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Japan, and the United States, “to ensure continued compliance and prevent the misuse of visa-free travel.”
Along similar lines, the European Asylum and Migration Strategy sets out the bloc’s political priorities for the next five years, emphasizing the use of what Brussels calls “firm migration diplomacy” to address ongoing challenges.
On paper, this tougher approach appears to clash with Spain’s recent decision to regularize 500,000 undocumented migrants residing in the country.
The commission, however, sought to play down any contradiction, stressing that the two issues are distinct.
“These are people who are already in a Member State, and the Member State has the competence to decide how to address their legal situation,” Brunner said at a press conference.
He added that countries may assess labor needs, “which is what Spain is doing.”
Both strategies also share a focus on attracting talent from outside the EU, citing “skills gaps and labor shortages that are set to intensify in many key sectors” over the next five years.
To that end, the commission proposed simplifying and speeding up procedures for the recognition and validation of qualifications and skills, expanding the use of digitization and artificial intelligence in migration management, and strengthening the fight against illegal employment and the exploitation of migrant workers.
The proposals will now be examined by EU member states, represented in the council of the European Union, and by the European Parliament, which must endorse the plans aimed at preparing the bloc for the migration challenges of the coming five years. EFE
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