EU official says an increase in legal migration is needed
The EU home affairs chief said on January 8 that 1 million legal migrants were needed into the continent a year as Europe attempts to tackle the issue of an ageing workforce, according to The Independent.
Migration, both illegal and legal, into the EU were high in 2023 and research from the bloc found that 2.25 million migrated into the continent and 1.12 million people moved out.
European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson has in the past expressed concerns at the high number of people coming into the EU illegally from North Africa despite lower numbers coming in from Tunisia.
The EU official said in December, “Over the last two months, we have seen a drop of approximately 80-90 percent in departures from Tunisia but unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in departures from Libya instead,”
Less clandestine migrants are coming from Tunisia due to a partnership signed with the EU where the bloc gives the North African country hefty amounts to support their weak economy in exchange for the country establishing stronger border controls.
READ: Disputes break out in Strasbourg over EU-Tunisia migrant deal
The scheme has effectively come into fruition after numerous complaints from MEPs that the deal lacked substance given that people in high numbers were still coming in illegally from Tunisia.
Pro-immigration activists in Tunisia have panned Kais Saied’s government for his increasingly hostile stance towards migrants, notably those from sub-Saharan Africa.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) said that the Tunisian President was tough on those coming into the country in order,“to satisfy European blackmail and ensure a steady stream of financial and logistical support.”
During a recent visit to Greek capital Athens, the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs said in a speech, “Legal migration works very well, but it’s not enough”, she noted as the workforce in the EU is going down by 1 million people.
She added, “that (decline in workforce) means that the legal migration should grow more or less by one million per year,”
The EU had made a lot about people smuggling networks and have stressed that they are working tirelessly to clamp down on these operations.
The Independent
