Special rights to attract qualified immigrants to Europe

EU Commissioner for Freedom, Security and Justice Franco Frattini has presented yesterday in Lisbon, during the High Level Conference on Legal Immigration, the main guidelines for two directives to be proposed in October, aimed at attracting qualified immigrants to Europe and guaranteeing an all-member states equal base of socio-economic rights for immigrants. Europe faces a tremendous challenge: European countries receive 85% of non-qualified workers whilst the USA only receives 5%; contrarily, the USA attracts 55% of qualified workers while the EU is only capable of attracting 5% of the qualified workers. When one considers the challenges brought by an increasingly aged population, the pressures on welfare systems and the rising socio-economic inequalities, one realises there is much to be done in European immigration policy.

Adapted from: http://jn.sapo.pt/2007/09/14/nacional/direitos_especiais_para_atrair_imigr.html