In the context of forced migration European countries have adopted different strategies in order to cope with the flow of migrants. While there were countries rising up fences to block or at least limit the entry of illegal migrants on their territory, others have been very proactive in supporting them and addressing their needs. Not only had the European countries adopted very different strategies from this perspective but also from the perspective of integration into the host community. While some countries seem to have embraced the "salad bowl model", others did embrace the "melting pot" model and others...nothing really and anything in between these. My question "Between criminalizing the assistance of migrants and positively discriminating migrants, where and how can European states find an efficient path?" comes in the context in which many countries don't want to turn the immense efforts of many migrants into a "long walk to nowhere" yet are still looking for a best practice model in order to keep an equilibrium between them and the local communities.
Thank you in advance for your answers!
Adina
Dear Adina,
I think that european policymakers should acknowledge migration will continue arriving no matter what. Restrictive migratory policies do not serve to reduce migration, only to making more difficult life for migrants. European businesses should acknowledge their need for migrant workers, specially in countries with an ever more elderly population. A similar approach to that taken by the United States a century ago could work today for Europe, creating pathways for integration and rights recognition.
There are many aspects which affect the integration of immigrants, exsiting both in the local and the immigrating communities. While the hosts need to acknowledge the immigrants' right to live in their country and accept them as a legitimate part of society, the immigrants have to adapt themselves to local norms. Failure to do so, on either side, prevents integration and leads to the creation of distinct, and often hostile, sub-cultures within a state.
Israeli experience shows that even under the most favourable terms, when the local community actively seeks to absorb the immigrants (which are considered as long-lost brthers and not as foreigners), cultural and social factors will lead to many challenges, such as loss of parental authority, increased criminality, discrimination and resentment.
When it comes to refugees, three documents should be kept in mind - two European and one United Nations.
These documents are:
- European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 311/76 on the compilation of statistics on foreign workers;
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 216/2010 implementing Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council on n statistics on migration and international protection, as regards the definitions of categories of the reasons for the residence permits;
- Declaration UN for refugees and Migrants ratificated on summit 19. september 2016.
Unfortunately, not one country has taken full advantage of these documents.
Thus, refugees did not exercise their right to asylum, to health, to social protection, to the prohibition of discrimination.
Even some of them are physically and sexually harassed.
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