Blogposts by Tag: immigration

  • Repenser la politique migratoire pour répondre au défi démographique

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    Rating: 4.5/5 with 4 votes

    Published Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 12:41
    by Gregory Join PES activists in New Social Europe (605 views and 1 comments)

    Commençons par une bonne nouvelle : les européens vivent de plus en plus longtemps. En moyenne, l’espérance de vie augmente de trois mois par an en Europe. Une société qui vit plus longtemps ne va, a priori, pas si mal.

    Continuons par une moins bonne nouvelle : les européens n’assurent pas le renouvellement des générations. En effet, il faudrait une moyenne supérieure à 2 enfants par femme pour que cela soit le cas et nous en sommes loin. Avec des taux de fécondité de seulement 1,25 en Espagne, en Italie, en République Tchèque et en Pologne, la situation est parfois très inquiétante.

    Le vieillissement de la population européenne aura dans les prochaines années des conséquences économiques et sociales très lourdes. Une pénurie de main d’œuvre et de matière grise qui fragilisera la croissance économique. L’augmentation du coût des soins médicaux et des retraites et les inégalités qui en découleront.

    Face à ce défi démographique, l’Europe doit remettre en question sa...

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    Tags: equality, immigration, workers


  • Solidar: shaping a New Social Europe

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    Rating: 5/5 with 3 votes

    Published Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 09:33
    by Editor in New Social Europe (435 views and 1 comments)

    Mobilize citizens to build the new social Europe, integration of immigrants and decent work, decent life are the three topics that Solidar, a network of over 40 social and economic justice NGOs, wants to include in the manifesto2009.

    Check them here with Conny Reuter, Secretary General of Solidar.

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    Tags: immigration, justice, social dialogue, workers


  • Le PE a adopté la directive de la honte

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    Rating: 4.3/5 with 6 votes

    Published Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 08:04
    by Joel Cordier in EU in the world (745 views and 4 comments)

    Par 369 voix pour, 197 contre et 106 abstentions, le Parlement européen a adopté, ce mercredi 18 juin, la directive sur le retour des immigrés illégaux.

    Ce texte qui a été massivement soutenu par la droite prévoit :

    - une durée de rétention excessivement longue ;

    - la détention d'enfants en centres fermés ;

    - l’absence d'obligation pour les États d'organiser une assistance juridique gratuite ;

    - la possibilité d'expulser des personnes gravement malades vers des pays où elles seront privées des soins pourtant nécessaires à leur survie ;

    - l'interdiction de séjour sur le territoire européen de 5 ans pour toutes les personnes qui ont reçu un ordre de quitter le territoire.

    La seule porte de sortie face à ce texte scandaleux est la faculté laissée aux Etats membres d’appliquer des normes plus favorables.

    Il y a des jours où j’ai honte d’être citoyen de cette Europe là.

    Allez, courage, la lutte continue !

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    Tags: blogger of the week, human rights, immigration, rights


  • Démocratie participative en Europe

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    Rating: 4.5/5 with 2 votes

    Published Monday, June 16, 2008 at 08:47
    by mehmetsel Join PES activists in European democracy & diversity (329 views and 0 comments)

    Au lendemain de la seconde guerre mondiale l'Europe a érigé à travers la CECA (Communauté Européenne du Charbon et de l'Acier) d'abord, la CEE (Communauté économique européenne) et l'EURATOM (Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique) ensuite, une construction sans précédent qui n'est assimilable à aucune entité juridique déjà existante. Les communautés européennes constituent un phénomène unique dont les structures et le régime présentent à la fois les aspects d'une organisation internationale classique et des caractères prononcés de type fédéraliste.

    Depuis l'origine de la construction européenne, les européens s'interrogent sur les moyens d'honorer le pacte politique liant les Etats membres. La politique d'unification de l'Europe a donné lieu à de nombreuses controverses sur la nature des institutions à créer pour rassembler les peuples européens. Lorsque le marché commun fut fondé en 1957 ses initiateurs ne pensaient qu'à une coopération purement économique. Si l'on tient compte des circonstances, on peut affirmer qu'ils ont atteint leur but.

    Mais on en n'est pas rester là, l'Europe est devenu à...

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    Tags: democracy, EU, immigration


  • Immigration: concerns over new measures in Italy

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    Published Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 17:50
    by Editor in New Social Europe (411 views and 0 comments)

    The new “security package” in Italy risks to fuel tensions and increase the cases of violence such as the attacks on Roma-settlements around Naples and Milan.

    As highlighted by the socialist MEPs in a hearing at the European Parliament on June 4, the new measures do not provide an equal treatment of individuals in front of the justice since for the same crime illegal immigrants will get an 1/3 higher penalty than the one established for nationals. Therefore, illegal immigration will become a crime itself targeted to asylum seekers, who usually run away from situations of war, extreme poverty and do not have other option than to arrive irregularly in a country.

    According to the socialist MEP Jan Marinus Wiersma, rapporteur of the EP Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Italy is shaking the principles of the Schengen system and the values of the European Union enshrined in Article 6 of the Treaty. Roma community is a European minority and as such it needs to be protected at European level.

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    Tags: equality, immigration, justice


  • Do not be afraid of the Czechs

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    Rating: 4.7/5 with 3 votes

    Published Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 09:55
    by Richard_Falbr Join PES activists in New Social Europe (514 views and 1 comments)

    The Czechs welcome the declaration of president Sarkozy. The opening of the market however does not mean that the Czechs will rush to France. We are very conservative and we do not move even from regions where the unemployment rates are high to regions where there is lack of work force.

    The reason is obvious. More than half of the Czechs live in their own houses. And so work must come to the place they live in. This is why I repeated many times to my Austrian and German colleagues that there does not exist a serious reason to keep the market closed. I do, however understand, that there can exist internal political reasons. One short example from the beginning of the 90´s: at that time a considerable number of Czechs so called "pendlers" used to cross the border and work in Germany where they received salaries of about 1000 DM. When the Ministry of Labour of Germany started to control the “pendlers”, the German entrepreneurs moved their businesses to our country, paying the approximate salary of 500 DM only.

    With this example I wish to prove that workers and entrepreneurs always find a way to avert the consequences of legislation which does not respond to real life. read more

    Tags: blogger of the week, employment, immigration, workers


  • Plutôt Schuman que Marshall !

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    Rating: 4/5 with 2 votes

    Published Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 09:34
    by yoan.abiven Join PES activists in EU in the world (641 views and 0 comments)

    S’inspirer de soixante années d’expérience de la construction européenne pour avancer un nécessaire projet d’Union Méditerranéenne est, à première vue, une idée excellente. Vigilance pourtant au moment de manipuler le vocabulaire et les méthodes de la success story européenne.  L’Europe des pères fondateurs ne se résume ni à quelque technique habile, ni à quelques mots magiques, pas plus qu'à des partenariats économiques tous azimuts. Elle oblige génétiquement à un partage de souveraineté sur ce qui fait mal.  L’Europe politique n’est pas née seulement et durablement des moyens financiers offerts par le plan Marshall. Elle s’est imposée dans le sillage d’un geste politique historique, celui de la déclaration Schuman. Or, cette initiative allait bien au-delà du champ économique. Il ne s’agissait pas d’annoncer la restauration du théâtre de Bayreuth avec des prêts bonifiés ! A cette époque, on voyait plus loin, on visait plus haut. On confiait à une autorité politique nouvelle ce qui avait servi à tant faire couler le sang des... read more

    Tags: citizens, economy, immigration, security, solidarity


  • NGO interview: Social and sustainable development as a strategy for Europe

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    Rating: 3.5/5 with 2 votes

    Published Friday, April 11, 2008 at 15:31
    by Editor in New Social Europe (703 views and 0 comments)

    Social Platform brings together more than forty European non-governmental organisations, federations and networks which are working to build an inclusive society. Fintan Farrell, President of Social Platform, gives the highlights of Social Platform's ideas for the PES manifesto:



    Read Social Platform's contribution to the PES manifesto in the documents section of Yourspace. read more

    Tags: citizens, democracy, diversity, equality, gay, immigration, LGBT, NGO


  • PES activists from Germany have their say!

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    Rating: 3.7/5 with 3 votes

    Published Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 09:40
    by Editor in In the spotlight (820 views and 1 comments)



    A group of German PES activists are the first to send in a paper with ideas for the PES manifesto. Read the German contribution in the documents section of Yourspace.

    The EU working group from the SPD in Berlin proposes eight 'building blocks' for the PES manifesto:

    • More democracy at the European level
    • A more social Europe
    • Economic growth
    • Europe as a pioneer in environmental protection
    • Europe as a 'peace force'
    • High quality education for all
    • Decent conditions for immigration and integration
    • Europe without discrimination
    What do you think - do you have any ideas to add to the proposals of the German PES activists? read more

    Tags: activists, democracy, discrimination, diversity, education, environment, immigration, manifesto, peace, welfare


  • PES President: rights and duties for all is key for migration

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    Published Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 10:13
    by Poul_Nyrup_Rasmussen Join PES activists in European democracy & diversity (683 views and 0 comments)

    I would really take this point about decent conditions for migration and integration of migrants as one of the most important ones for the future work of the PES. With the Lisbon Treaty, European cooperation on migration will be reinforced and at the next meeting of the PES Presidency we will have a debate on migration and integration.

    From my view point decent conditions for migration is, right now, one of the most significant human rights challenges within the European Union. We often talk about ensuring decent working and living conditions for EU citizens looking for jobs across EU borders. But migrants from outside the EU are also a very vulnerable group and we need to ensure decent conditions for their arrival and stay. But it must be based on the same rights and duties for all. This is the key to integration. This is key to understanding and acceptance by ordinary people.

    Post cards from the PES President
    This week Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, president of the Party of European Socialists, comments on some of the most popular posts on Yourspace. This is the second of six post cards from the PES President.
    read more

    Tags: decent work, immigration, PES, president


  • Only one year

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    Rating: 3/5 with 3 votes

    Published Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 10:57
    by santibenitez Join PES activists in European democracy & diversity (699 views and 3 comments)

    On Friday, March 7, 2008, Simon Hughes, leader of the Liberals in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, said that homosexuals can return to Iran and avoid persecution being "discreet". Leaving aside the obvious discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation shows that, increasingly, the conservatives Europeans, and particularly British, it is clear that the lack of common legislation within the European Union over the right of asylum and the reasons on which the request for asylum or can not be rejected, opens a ban on certain groups that is not permissible at the European level.

    The fictitious problem about immigration, we must remember that Europe needs 20 million immigrants over the next 20 years, is making the most demagogic take Conservatives that is still attempting to convince voters Europeans on the need to tighten the legal measures that provide the right of asylum. But these legal measures may not contradict the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Charter on Human Rights, regardless of whether the right of asylum is taken for reasons of political persecution or sexual orientation. The right to not be discriminated against or persecuted for reasons of thought is not superior to the right of anybody to have sexual orientation that prefer.

    The Socialists face the same conservative speech from all countries of the Union with regard to immigration and the right to asylum. A discourse that is not new and... read more

    Tags: democracy, discrimination, diversity, immigration, multiculturalism


  • Yohann Abiven: I had a dream...

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    Rating: 3.3/5 with 4 votes

    Published Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 19:26
    by yoan.abiven Join PES activists in EU in the world (708 views and 0 comments)

    I had a dream… That those populist ideas on which migration policies are based in some EU Member States, starting by my own (France), be soon penalized in the name of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Is this a dream or a matter of reason?

     

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    Tags: blogger of the week, Europe, fundamental rights chart, immigration, politics


  • Brain drain – how do we go about it?

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    Rating: 4.5/5 with 4 votes

    Published Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 09:46
    by Editor in EU in the world (793 views and 0 comments)

    The Spanish socialist party, PSOE, goes into the national elections with a much-debated proposal to tackle brain drain. Javier Moreno, member of the European Parliament for PSOE, gives the lowdown in this video:



    What do you think – should the PES manifesto include this proposal in its manifesto? read more

    Tags: Africa, development, immigration


  • Spanish manifesto: food for thought for Europe’s socialists

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    Rating: 4.6/5 with 9 votes

    Published Friday, February 1, 2008 at 12:50
    by Editor in New Social Europe (1463 views and 4 comments)

    The Spanish Socialist Party, PSOE, has launched its manifesto for the Spanish general elections on 9th March. It happened at a conference this Saturday at which PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen declared “We cannot have a Social Europe without a Social Spain”!

    The manifesto is full of exciting new proposals on how to strengthen the Spanish welfare state, fight climate change and reach full employment, including the extension of child care for children under 3 years of age, an issue which the PES has been campaigning on across Europe.

    PSOE has also made several European proposals, which it will fight for in the European Council and Council of Ministers if re-elected: the introduction of a European framework directive on public services; strengthening workers’ rights, notably through the revision of European law on worker information and consultation; a common European migration policy, defining integration policies, the fight against human trafficking and illegal migration and favouring legal migration; the creation of a common border police; regulating hedge funds and tackling financial speculation; promoting the creation of an Alliance of Civilisations at global level; and introducing a solidarity mechanism for energy supply. read more

    Tags: energy, immigration, political parties, public services


  • Justice and home affairs in the PES manifesto

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    Rating: 4.5/5 with 4 votes

    Published Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 09:30
    by mochinho Join PES activists in European democracy & diversity (955 views and 0 comments)

    For our manifesto we have to keep in mind the subject of justice and home affairs. If the Reform Treaty entries into force the European Parliament will be co-legislator in justice and home affairs. This means that the European Parliament will be more responsible for the public order. Furthermore Europol is to become a European agency and will be funded from the EU budget from January 2010 on. It is also possible that the Treaty of Prüm will be introduced into the legal framework of the EU; not to forget the enlargement of the Schengen space in December last year.

    Concerning these subjects there are a lot of concerns related to civil liberties and security. The manifesto should therefore pick these up and give social-democratic/socialist solutions. We cannot leave the topic of justice and home affairs to law and order hardliners. Justice and home affairs is a genuine social-democratic/socialist subject.

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    Tags: democracy, fundamental rights, immigration, political parties


  • Propositions de Sauvons l’Europe pour la présidence française de l'Union

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    Rating: 4/5 with 6 votes

    Published Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 12:10
    by yoan.abiven Join PES activists in New Social Europe (1307 views and 2 comments)

    Pour une politique européenne commune de l’immigration!
    - afin que la libre circulation dans les Etats de l’Union, garantie aux migrants légalement installés, se fasse dans le respect des droits fondamentaux et à égalité de droits avec tous les résidents de l’Union,
    - qui réponde aux intérêts économiques et démographiques de l’Union
    - qui accroisse son rayonnement à l’étranger.

    Diagnostic
    Les Etats européens, aux frontières intérieures désormais effacées, confrontés à la nécessité d’une coopération renforcée en matière d’immigration, doivent aller au-delà et construire une politique commune d’immigration. Il serait catastrophique que l’UE apparaisse comme une forteresse close entourée de hauts murs.

    Objectifs
    La politique commune d’immigration devrait se fonder sur les points suivants:

    Garantir les droits fondamentaux aux migrants légalement installés sur le territoire de l’Union, en particulier le droit à une vie familiale stable, ce qui...

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    Tags: fundamental rights, immigration, political parties


  • PES Council: a common manifesto, yes please

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    Rating: 3.6/5 with 5 votes

    Published Friday, November 23, 2007 at 16:54
    by Editor in New Social Europe (1063 views and 0 comments)

    Towards the PES manifesto – was the dynamic title of the fourth and last plenary of this week’s PES Council. The session was a mix of live speakers and videos with PES activists giving their take on what should be in the PES manifesto.

    There were several topics which were mentioned again and again – by both politicians and PES activists: workers rights, employment, immigration, energy supply and climate change. Several speakers also mentioned the lack of citizen participation and the low turnout at European elections as issues that the PES should deal with.

    Marek Siwiec, Vice-President of the European Parliament and from Poland, was among the plenary’s live speakers. He brought up the gap between rich and poor parts of Europe as an important priority for the PES manifesto:

    “New Social Europe sounds very different in rich and poor Europe. In poor Europe access to quality education is the number one issue right now. There are great differences between the villages and the cities when it comes to the possibilities for education.”

    These were just a few of the opinions put forward during the debate today – you can watch the full session, including all speeches.

    Next to what is mentioned here – what do you think should be in the PES manifesto? read more

    Tags: council, education, employment, equality, immigration


  • New Social Europe - how do we do it?

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    Rating: 4.7/5 with 3 votes

    Published Monday, November 12, 2007 at 15:27
    by Editor in New Social Europe (888 views and 0 comments)

    Jesús Caldera, Spanish Labour Minister has made a major speech on the Spanish Socialist Government’s social policies and strengthening the European Social Model, against a backdrop of intensifying political debate in the run-up to next year’s Spanish general elections.

    Speaking at a meeting of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament last week, Caldera argued that pro-active social policies should be regarded as an investment, not a cost, and that it was fundamental that we defend the European social model.

    Caldera outlined six key points:

    1. Reaching full employment through pro-active economic and social policies agreed with the full involvement of businesses, trade unions and civil society. 24 agreements have been signed in Spain since 2004.

    2. Fighting discrimination against women and enabling women to work. Spanish socialists brought in legislation on equality with massive public support but against stiff right-wing opposition from the Popular Party.

    3. Raising the minimum wage in order to make work more attractive. Spanish socialists have raised it by €200 since taking office, and will raise it by another €200 if re-elected next year.

    4. Establishing a universal right to care services for dependents. a new law will now enter into force in Spain to provide services for the elderly and... read more

    Tags: elderly, equality, immigration, wages, welfare


  • Green light for skilled immigrants

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    Rating: 4/5 with 3 votes

    Published Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 10:33
    by Editor in New Social Europe (1198 views and 4 comments)

    Should Europe offer a special ‘blue card’ to skilled immigrants? Recently EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini announced that he is planning a proposal for a European version of the US’ green card.

    The proposal is motivated by the fact that only five percent of the migrants that come to Europe are skilled. In contrast 55 percent of the migrants in the US are skilled.

    “We have to reverse these figures with a new vision,” says Mr. Frattini to euobserver.com.

    To deal with ‘brain drain’, particularly challenging for parts of Africa and the Caribbean, the commissioner explains his proposal will promote “ethical recruitment standards” to limit recruitment in particularly vulnerable countries.

    Inger Segelström is a Swedish social democrat and a member of the European Parliament. In her opinion immigration should not be limited to skilled workers, but their families should be allowed as well to ensure integration into society:

    “It is important to allow immigrant families, partners and children to come together with...

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    Tags: employment, globalization, immigration, PES

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