Opinion: European immigration policies, September 2014

With hundreds of thousands of refugees a year crossing the Mediterranean, Member States such as Italy, Malta and Greece are reaching the limits of their capacity. Securing borders and accommodating asylum seekers cannot be left to just a handful of Member States but has to be addressed at European level. Immigration policy needs to be aligned, not least to ensure recruitment for an aging labour market.

At the request of the Italian EU Presidency, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) drew up an opinion on 'European immigration policies' which was adopted by a large consensus vote of 161 to 6, with 6 abstentions at the EESC's plenary session on 10 September 2014.

• Primary Source

EESC: Themes: Immigration and Asylum http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.immigration-and-asylum

EESC: Press Release, 12.09.14: Immigration needs a courageous and inclusive European approach http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.press-releases.33049

Committee of the Regions: Press Release, 04.12.14: Immigration policy: the Committee of the Regions calls for more solidarity and support for local authorities http://cor.europa.eu/en/news/Pages/cor-demande-plus-de-solidarite-et-de-soutien-aux-collectivites-locales.aspx

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