Resolution 1767 (2010)1 The=20
demographic future of Europe and migration
1. The global population is =
currently=20
predicted to grow by over 40% over the next forty =
years unless=20
fertility rates in the developing world decrease =
considerably.=20
In the same period, the population of the member =
states of the=20
Council of Europe is expected to drop by about 6%, so =
reducing=20
Europe=92s share of the world=92s population to 7%. In =
addition,=20
Europe=92s demographic make-up is going through =
dramatic=20
changes. These trends will bring new challenges for =
Europe in=20
terms of competitiveness on the global market and the=20
viability of its existing social security systems.
2. The Parliamentary Assembly =
recalls its two=20
recent debates on policy measures that influence =
population=20
trends and on the demographic challenges for social =
cohesion.=20
It reasserts its support for the recommendations =
adopted after=20
these debates (Recommendation 1683 (2004) on =
population trends=20
in Europe and their sensitivity to policy measures, =
and=20
Recommendation 1749 (2006) and=20
Resolution 1502 (2006) on demographic challenges =
for=20
social cohesion).
3. The Assembly regrets the =
discontinuation=20
of the valuable work previously carried out by the =
European=20
Population Committee. It remains convinced that =
population-=20
and migration-related issues merit continued =
intergovernmental=20
attention by the Council of Europe.
4. Population decline, ageing of =
the=20
population and migration are closely interlinked and =
need to=20
be looked at together, to assess the future of =
Europe=92s=20
population as well as its productivity needs. =
Fertility,=20
ageing and migration need to be managed through =
comprehensive=20
policies that are capable of adapting to new =
demographic=20
realities.
5. The most essential question for =
European=20
population management today is how to achieve an =
increase in=20
both fertility and domestic labour force =
participation, with a=20
view to boosting Europe=92s productivity and =
maintaining the=20
efficiency of social protection systems, especially =
retirement=20
systems. The Assembly believes that European policy =
makers,=20
businesses and citizens need to combine their efforts =
to=20
rethink the organisation of the entire life-course =
perspective=20
of work, parenthood and retirement.
6. Increased immigration is another =
way to=20
help mitigate the effects of the falling population in =
the=20
medium term. Currently immigration is the principal =
reason for=20
positive population growth in several European =
countries and=20
immigration needs are projected to grow once the =
economy=20
recovers. Nevertheless, the Assembly is convinced that =
immigration will not be an adequate instrument on its =
own =96=20
nor is it a desirable policy option =96 to compensate =
for=20
population =93greying=94, and it is no substitute for =
economic=20
reforms.
7. The Assembly believes that, =
whereas=20
migration has brought diversity and dynamism to =
European=20
societies, future movements need to be better managed. =
These=20
need to be linked to specific demands of the economy, =
based on=20
a realistic assessment of labour-market needs, as well =
as=20
implementation procedures to ensure that migration =
continues=20
to meet these demands while respecting developing =
needs of=20
countries of origin.
8. The main challenges to realising =
the=20
potential of immigration are linked to irregular =
migration and=20
the integration of migrants and their descendants into =
European societies. Both are linked to human rights =
issues, as=20
well as to a danger for European societies of the =
emergence of=20
a new underclass. Therefore, the Assembly sees =
targeted=20
migration and opportunities for legal employment as =
the=20
desired direction for managing migration in the =
future.
9. The Assembly is convinced that, =
whereas=20
temporary and circular migration programmes bring more =
benefits for the countries of origin, as they reduce =
the=20
impact of the brain drain, maximise remittances and =
encourage=20
knowledge and technology transfers, many labour needs =
in the=20
Council of Europe member states will be long term in =
nature,=20
with job-specific skills that take time to acquire.=20
Demographic and migration-related issues would =
therefore need=20
to be looked at from both mid- and long-term =
perspectives.
10. In the light of the above, the =
Assembly=20
urges member states to combine the following broad =
policy=20
measures, if they have not already done so:
10.1. with regard to increasing =
birth=20
rates:
10.1.1. enable individuals and =
couples to=20
exercise their right to decide freely and responsibly =
the=20
number of their children and the interval between =
them;
10.1.2. make it easier for women to =
combine=20
family and professional life, namely through =
availability of=20
child care, flexible working hours, teleworking, =
paternal=20
leave, etc.;
10.1.3. make it easier for young =
people to=20
start work and found families, for example by =
promoting a more=20
child- and family-friendly environment in all spheres =
of=20
society, particularly in urban areas, including =
housing,=20
child-care programmes, part-time and flexi-time work, =
fiscal=20
policies and recreational facilities;
10.1.4. develop public-health =
measures aimed=20
at reducing involuntary infertility;
10.2. with regard to population =
ageing and=20
with a view to increased labour force =
participation:
10.2.1. facilitate legal employment =
through=20
such measures as reducing the cost of employment, =
liberalising=20
labour codes and removing unnecessary costs linked to=20
termination of employment;
10.2.2. further encourage =
employment of women=20
through incentives that facilitate combining family =
and=20
professional life;
10.2.3. introduce necessary =
legislative=20
changes to gradually increase the retirement age;
10.2.4. promote active ageing by =
giving those=20
who are still in good health and willing to work the =
chance to=20
work longer, and by focusing more on the number of =
years=20
worked rather than age for retirement;
10.2.5. devise a wide range of =
policies to=20
enable people to work longer in healthy conditions, =
including=20
by promoting possibilities for lifelong training and=20
retraining;
10.2.6. develop atypical forms of =
employment=20
for those who cannot or do not want to work =
full-time;
10.3. with regard to migration:
10.3.1. put in place mechanisms to =
identify=20
and monitor domestic labour shortages at national =
level and=20
keep legal avenues open for the entry of immigrants to =
satisfy=20
these shortages;
10.3.2. communicate publicly the =
need for=20
continued and possibly even increased immigration =
across the=20
full range of skilled and unskilled labour, while at =
the same=20
time ensuring that appropriate policies for the =
management of=20
migration and integration of immigrants are in place; =
in=20
particular, develop strategies for attracting migrants =
with=20
the sought-after profile;
10.3.3. in countries of net =
emigration,=20
capitalise on the domestic sources of labour and =
retain top=20
talent by improving academic excellence, introducing =
salary=20
incentives and possibilities for training and =
retraining;
10.3.4. develop official means of =
recruiting=20
migrants so as to reduce the incentive for employers =
to hire=20
them through the informal labour market, and to =
prevent=20
trafficking and exploitation of migrants; consider =
introducing=20
job-search visas as an appropriate recruitment avenue =
for=20
certain profiles;
10.3.5. look for opportunities to =
redirect=20
irregular migration and illegal employment into legal=20
channels. Such a system needs to apply to all skill =
levels, be=20
long term in nature and incorporate incentives for =
both=20
employers and immigrants to follow the rules;
10.3.6. foster successful =
integration of=20
migrants and their families, in particular those =
coming from=20
non-European countries, into their new European host=20
societies; in particular, address the issues of =
education=20
among immigrants and their children, remedy the =
problems=20
associated with their geographical concentration and =
social=20
isolation and help second-generation immigrants to =
overcome=20
the difficulties they face in entering the labour =
market;
10.3.7. pay greater attention to =
having a=20
balanced public debate on immigration that avoids =
language=20
that justifies or even reinforces discriminatory =
attitudes=20
against migrants.
11. The Assembly notes that many of =
these=20
measures are already part of the European Union =
agenda. It=20
commends the latter for its recently adopted Stockholm =
Programme and Action Plan, which recognise the =
valuable role=20
that immigration plays in addressing the Union=92s =
demographic=20
challenges and in securing the European Union=92s =
strong=20
economic performance over the long term. Considering =
that=20
European Union policies have a great impact on =
candidate=20
countries or non-European Union member states of the =
Council=20
of Europe, the Assembly further encourages the =
European Union=20
to:
11.1. aim to introduce a genuinely =
unified=20
admission system for migrants by re-examining the idea =
of the=20
=93Blue Card=94 system initially proposed in 2001;
11.2. carry out an in-depth study =
of Europe=92s=20
labour needs in the short, medium and long term;
11.3. further develop mobility =
partnerships=20
with relevant member states of the Council of Europe =
through=20
the Eastern Partnership Programme;
11.4. consider, as a matter of =
utmost=20
urgency, options for the regularisation of the =
situation of=20
the millions of irregular migrants who are employed in =
underemployed sectors.
12. The Assembly also calls on the=20
specialised international organisations to carry out =
further=20
studies that would incorporate comprehensive data on=20
demographic and migration trends in Europe. Such data =
will=20
help counteract populist or xenophobic reactions, and =
help=20
governments to take a more realistic and comprehensive =
approach when defining national policies.
1. Text adopted =
by the=20
Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the =
Assembly, on=20
12 November 2010 (see Doc.=20
12429, report of the Committee on Migration, =
Refugees and=20
Population, rapporteur: Mrs Hajibayli).
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