United NationsDevelopment Change GroupUnited NationsDevelopment Change Group
SUBJECT: Immigration in the European UnionSUBJECT: Immigration in the European Union
OVERVIEW OVERVIEW
Case study: France and Spain• background• current governmental policy• current statistics • social problems
• Recommendations to UN
Case study: France and Spain• background• current governmental policy• current statistics • social problems
• Recommendations to UN
History of Immigration--France History of Immigration--France
Post WWII immigration
French-Algerian War
Post WWII immigration
French-Algerian War
How am I supposed to feel French, when people always describe me as a Frenchman of Algerian origin?Nadir Dendoune
History of Immigration--Spain History of Immigration--Spain
•Moorish history in Spain Moorish history in Spain
•Franco dictatorship to presentFranco dictatorship to present
EspañaEspaña
• Failure of Quotas • Madrid bombings and aftermath• Zapatero and changes in policy• Country wide regularization
February 7, 2005 and May 7, 2005• Goal of the program
• Failure of Quotas • Madrid bombings and aftermath• Zapatero and changes in policy• Country wide regularization
February 7, 2005 and May 7, 2005• Goal of the program
RegularizationRegularization
“Out of the Question”“Out of the Question”La FranceLa France
•May 2005: expulsion of illegalsMay 2005: expulsion of illegals•November riots November riots Extremism vs. UnderstandingExtremism vs. UnderstandingPresidential rivals: Villepin vs. SarkozyPresidential rivals: Villepin vs. Sarkozy
SpainSpain
• March 2005, 2,054,453 foreigners resided in Spain with legal documents.
• The government estimated that there were more than a million illegal residents prior to the legalization process.
• The number of illegal people in Spain may be greater than 1,600,000.
• March 2005, 2,054,453 foreigners resided in Spain with legal documents.
• The government estimated that there were more than a million illegal residents prior to the legalization process.
• The number of illegal people in Spain may be greater than 1,600,000.
SpainSpain
• 2,000 foreigners who are not EU community members enter through the Pyrenees each day
• Citizens of Ecuador, Romania, Colombia and Argentina in this order are the principal nationals that are illegally working in Spain.
• 2,000 foreigners who are not EU community members enter through the Pyrenees each day
• Citizens of Ecuador, Romania, Colombia and Argentina in this order are the principal nationals that are illegally working in Spain.
Criticism of legalization processCriticism of legalization process
• Many Africans have been excluded for lack of legal papers.
• Criminal background checks only looked at Spanish infractions and country of origin infractions.
• Maintenance of legal status depends on employer obligations to pay social security.
• Many Africans have been excluded for lack of legal papers.
• Criminal background checks only looked at Spanish infractions and country of origin infractions.
• Maintenance of legal status depends on employer obligations to pay social security.
Post-war Immigration Policy FrancePost-war Immigration Policy France
• France was the only country in Europe to encourage permanent immigration
• Recruitment of new workers halted with the first oil shock in 1973.
• France has no organized interest groups advocating greater immigration.
• France was the only country in Europe to encourage permanent immigration
• Recruitment of new workers halted with the first oil shock in 1973.
• France has no organized interest groups advocating greater immigration.
France France
• 100,000 new entries per year.
• The legal flows have included EU migrants, family members of legal residents, and refugees and asylum-seekers admitted on the basis of constitutional and international law.
• 100,000 new entries per year.
• The legal flows have included EU migrants, family members of legal residents, and refugees and asylum-seekers admitted on the basis of constitutional and international law.
Flaws in the systemFlaws in the system
• Repressive measures rendered formerly legal migration flows illegal.
• People known as (inexpulsables-irrégularisables) - including rejected asylum-seekers, and foreign parents of French children—cannot be expelled, yet are not eligible for residency permits
• Repressive measures rendered formerly legal migration flows illegal.
• People known as (inexpulsables-irrégularisables) - including rejected asylum-seekers, and foreign parents of French children—cannot be expelled, yet are not eligible for residency permits
Cultural AspectsCultural Aspects• French reaction to
immigrants• Desire of
immigrants to be assimilated into society (Maghrebi Arabs, etc.)
• Failures = Violence
• French reaction to immigrants
• Desire of immigrants to be assimilated into society (Maghrebi Arabs, etc.)
• Failures = Violence
Cultural Aspects Cultural Aspects
Spanish reaction to immigrants
Immigrants Reaction
Spanish reaction to immigrants
Immigrants Reaction
RecommendationsRecommendations• Work with IOs
• UNFPA, UNECE, IOM to garner accurate statistics of immigration
• Council of Europe and European Union to begin to implement Hague Program; a common EU strategy
• Work with IOs• UNFPA, UNECE, IOM to garner
accurate statistics of immigration• Council of Europe and European Union
to begin to implement Hague Program; a common EU strategy
RecommendationsRecommendations
• Implementation of National Social Programs:• Offer community programs for adults and children for
cultural enrichment• Skill training• Current statistics for French minorities; reform of laïcité• Create micro-credit programs for minority groups for
home ownership programs
• Implementation of National Social Programs:• Offer community programs for adults and children for
cultural enrichment• Skill training• Current statistics for French minorities; reform of laïcité• Create micro-credit programs for minority groups for
home ownership programs
RecommendationsRecommendations
• Economic Programs• Aid and investment in source countries: two
nations working together• Accept need for immigration to maintain
economic stability with declining population• Encourage legal immigration, regularize
employed illegals shrink informal economy• Reform of the “welfare state”
• Economic Programs• Aid and investment in source countries: two
nations working together• Accept need for immigration to maintain
economic stability with declining population• Encourage legal immigration, regularize
employed illegals shrink informal economy• Reform of the “welfare state”
Summary: European Immigration: A Fact of LifeSummary: European Immigration: A Fact of Life
• France and Spain: different ends of the spectrum
• History, policy, statistics, culture
• Need to implement above referenced recommendations
• France and Spain: different ends of the spectrum
• History, policy, statistics, culture
• Need to implement above referenced recommendations