“Currently there are very few legal possibilities for migrants to settle in the EU, if they are not refugees or asylum seekers. This means that many people from outside Europe arriving at the EU’s borders face a tough choice. They can work through the system, which has very limited options for them. Or they can work with dangerous human traffickers to enter the EU illegally.“Our common European migration policy can and must be improved. We commend Commissioner Ylva Johansson for her work in this area. With the Pact on Migration, she wants to prevent irregular migration and to open more legal and safe ways to come to the EU. This approach will save lives and ensure regular migration at our borders. We must promote tailor-made and mutually beneficial legal migration with partner countries."
“We need migration in the EU but we need to manage it in a way that counters irregular migration and instead promotes legal pathways both for labour opportunities and for refugees. We initiated the Talent Partnerships with third countries to assist people to come to the EU in a regular way. We also need to work together with partner countries to fight human smugglers.”
The Network also discussed the need to keep pushing for an inclusive and equal Europe which truly represents increasingly vibrant, diverse and open societies. This means emphasising the contributions of migrants and increasing opportunities to participate and succeed in our European society.
The meeting was attended by:
Carina Ohlsson, Chair of the PES Migration & Integration Network, Member of Parliament, SAP, Sweden
Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, European Commission
Giulio Di Blasi, Europe’s Director, The Refugee Hub, Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative
Juan Fernando Lopez, Member of the European Parliament (PSOE), S&D Group in the EP
Javier Moreno Sanchez, Member of the European Parliament (PSOE), S&D Group in the EP
Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General, PES
Christina Christodoulou, Member of International and EU Affairs Bureau, EDEK Cyprus
Anti Kotti, Senior advisor for the parliamentary group, SPD, Finland
Francois Comet, Deputy National Secretary for Europe, PS, France
Antje Grotheer, Vice-President of Bremen State Parliament, SDP, Germany
Georgios Kaminis, Member of Parliament, KINAL, Greece
Panagiotis Exarchos, Member of Parliament, KINAL, Greece
Nikas Panagiotis, Member of the Migration Committee, KINAL, Greece
Pia Locatelli, PSI, Italy
Hedwig Giusto, Senior Policy Advisor, FEPS
Nishan Dzhingozyan, Co-Founder and Director at East European Forum UK
Paulien Natens, Adviser, Vluchtelingenwerk
Federica Toscano, Senior Advocacy Adviser, Children on the Move
Marie Johansson, PES Coordinator in the CIVEX Commission, PES Group in the CoR
Yoomi Renström, PES Group First Vice-President, PES Group in the CoR
Olga Fotinou, Political Adviser, PES Group in the CoR
Lilana Keith, Senior Advocacy Officer Labour rights and Labour migration, PICUM
Laetitia Van der Vennet, Advocacy Officer Undocumented Children Families and Youth, PICUM
Conny Reuter, Coordinator, Progressive Alliance
Shane Murphy, Political Advisor, S&D Group in the EP
Julie Martinaud, Social Inclusion Officer, SOLIDAR
Maria Bijl, Vice President, PES Women
