Legal Immigration and Demographic Challenges
Ms Joëlle Milquet, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Employment and Equal Opportunities responsible for migration and asylum policy, asked the European Economic and Social Committee to draw up an exploratory opinion on the role of legal immigration in the context of demographic challenges.
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About this report:
The EESC considers that a holistic approach is needed to tackle today's demographic challenges, taking action on a number of economic, social and political aspects. Legal immigration forms part of the EU's response to the current demographic situation.
Furthermore, the mobility of EU citizens within Europe has fallen, and is lower than immigration of third-country nationals. The Committee considers that barriers to mobility within the EU should be eliminated and that this process should be made easier for European workers.
In conclusion, the EESC endorses the aim of the Europe 2020 Agenda to increase employment among 20 64-year olds to 75% by improving the participation of women and older workers and by integrating migrants more successfully into the labour market.
Author: EESC