Malta asks for help
As part of the EU, Malta needs to cope with a massive influx of refugees from Libya, as Gaddafi’s regime wishes to take control of the west of the country. Malta’s Prime Minister “has called upon the EU and the international community to assist Malta in its humanitarian mission”, which is now in a “sensitive and delicate” phase given its position as “a peace-living and bridge-building nation”.
As requested by UK, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam and China, Malta is now being used as a transit point. In return, the government asks for help to get 183 Maltese citizens who are currently in Libya back to Malta.
Malta will now have to have the Libyans in the country until their applications will be processed. If they are successful in their applications and will be granted refugee status, thus protection, they will be entitled to stay in Malta.
For more on this topic: http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/518871-malta-asks-help
My opinion
What the EU is doing is ‘passing the buck’ to a country which probably cannot say ‘No’. Yes, the UK, France and Germany, the most powerful member-states host many refugees already, but is it fair, to send the Libyans to Malta? Why not spreading them around various member states? This would make it more manageable, as every country will only get a small number of asylum seekers. As a result of the ‘Arabic spring’, Italy, Spain, France, Cyprus, Malta and Greece presented joint proposals in favour of a common EU asylum policy which should be in place starting 2012 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12565214).
Europa and the Arabic spring. Does the EU foreign policy actually exist?
In Middle East and Maghreb people have died, are dying and will probably die. The EU has taken no attitude. It has been more concerned with the numbers of people fleeing their home countries and the numbers of asylum claims the EU might receive.
The statements issued by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, or the one following the meeting of the European Council of Ministers did not have any positive outcomes. Moreover, the spokesmen for migration of the European Commission expressed the EU’s concerns about what emigration could mean for the EU.
This could mean that the EU is trying to find its way in matters of foreign policy. The lack of interest and mobilisation only means that there is no common foreign policy.
For more on this topic: http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/513971-libyas-revolution-europes-shame
My opinion
I used to be pro-Europe. I even studied European Studies. When I got to the UK everything stopped. I found more interesting the sound of the Masters’ degree entitled Globalisation and International Policy. I was not sure whether a EU foreign policy existed and this was way the EU deals (NOT) with what is happening in the Arabic world confirms my opinion. Moreover, I have always wanted to believe in the power of ‘human rights’. I have now realised that the EU does not hold to its principle which is “the universality and indivisibility of human rights”. It is sad to see that the EU does not make the difference anymore between migrants and refugees.
EU’s attitude is unpardonable. But what can you expect? There is no centralisation, no common policy. It is only driven by the interests of Germany (and France?). Europe’s aim is to keep third country nationals (citizens who do not hold the nationality of EU member states) outside the EU. It has been referred to in literature as ‘Fortress Europe’.
Immigration in the UK
The Office for National Statistics has released new numbers which show that in 2010, approximately 572,000 people entered the UK on a long-term basis and 346,000 emigrated. That means that net migration (the numbers of people entering the UK and those leaving the UK) has risen by 36%.
The Coalition is now in the process of reducing the numbers of immigrants from outside the EU. Immigration Minister Damian Green stated that their wish is “to bring net migration down to the tens of thousands by the end of this Parliament”.
For more on this topic: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12535437
My opinion
The Coalition has already put a cap on migration. There are now quotas in place on non-EU migrant workers. International students wanting to study in institutions offering below degree-level courses (colleges) will find it harder to come to the UK.
I am not sure what I should say about this topic. Is immigration a problem? Oh well… it could be argued both sides. The political economy of migration is a tricky one. However my view is that migrants can represent a problem for low-skilled native citizens who can see their jobs ‘stolen’ by happy-with-low-wages migrants. But these migrants contribute to the economy of the host country. They buy clothes, they pay taxes, they send their children to school… They do inject money in the economy of the host country. High skilled native citizens tend to be more tolerant towards immigrants, because they have nothing to fear. They have the security of a job, they have skills and they have a ‘voice’.This being said, a friend of mine gave me a CD the other day on which he had recorded a BBC show called “The Day the Immigrants Left”. It was basically the story of some low-skilled Brits who were complaining that the only reason why they were unemployed was because “these Eastern Europeans steal our jobs”. The journalist convinced some English employees to let some Brits to work for a couple of days. What happened? Some of the unemployed Brits did not show up at the meeting point, others just gave up because the job it was too dull and difficult.
What is the lesson? Some of the migrants who work in West do those jobs that a native would not do because it is too dull, tedious and difficult…
What’s next? I don’t know. But I hope that (free) movement of persons will trigger tolerance. Acceptance of those immigrants who do not have a choice in their home countries and they only want to work hard in order to afford a decent life. That’s all they ask… a DECENT life, not even a GOOD life.
Migration should be managed, but… how?
France wants more international students
In the process of globalisation international education has become a business. France, which has just passed a low making it easier for the ‘sans papiers’ (undocumented migrants) to be send to their countries of origin is now considering attracting more international students.
In France education is free for everybody – both French people and international students. In the context of the post financial crisis, France, which hosts approximately 500,000 non-French students, is thinking to introduce tuition fees for foreign students. The average cost of one year at university is of approximately £8,000. Foreign students would pay 125% of this amount of money. The idea behind it is that 20% of students, who cannot afford university fees, would get funding to afford going to university.
For more on this topic: http://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2011/02/28/triplons-notre-capacite-d-accueil_1486222_3232.html#ens_id=1475692
My opinion
It is interesting to analyse the dynamics of the politics of migration. Close your doors to those who need you (Eg: those who are in danger in their home countries), and open the doors to those who can inject money in your economy.
The idea of tuition fees is, at the end of the idea, a good idea, as it would make French education more competitive. At this point in time it is losing out in front of countries such as the UK, the US or the NL. But since France is in the EU, the French Ministry of Education could not charge EU students and not charge French students, as EU citizens should be treated the same as the citizens of the EU country they are in. And I think that most of the foreign students, in France, come from EU countries. Exception make students from ex-French colonies such as North Africa or sub-Saharan Africa whose governments will probably enter bilateral agreements with French agreements.
Author: Claudia Paraschivescu claudia.paraschivescu@gmail.com
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