Difficulties of citizenship” “

“Immigration has reduced many of the consequences of the ageing of the population and the need for more manpower in Europe, but it is not the only solution to the sustainability of social security programmes”: that’s one of the statements contained in the report of the United Nations on the question of international migration, drawn up by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and presented in Brussels on 29 November. The document analyses the current world trend of migration, with particular reference to Western Europe, which has seen its number of immigrants grow by five million from 1995 to the present day. There are a total of 175 million migrants in the world (one every 35 people). Of these 32.8 million are in Europe, with an annual rate of growth (in the decade 1990-2000) of 2.2%. The percentage of immigrants in relation to the total population of Europe has risen from 3.3% in 1969 to 6.4% in 2000. 23% of European governments impose restrictions. The UN Report points out the advantages of immigration, but also the “anxieties” it brings with it in terms of employment, with the risk of “diluting or disintegrating cultural identities and values”. These conflicts are reflected in a “growing dualism in national immigration policies in Europe”. If in 1976 83% of European government declared their levels of immigration satisfactory (while 17% considered them too high), in 2003 only 67% maintained neutral policies towards the phenomenon of immigration, with 9% that encouraged more sustained flows and 23% that on the contrary imposed restrictions. “The dynamics of social relations between migrants, their countries of provenance and the countries that accept them – observes the UN Report – are complex but the challenge for the host countries is that of integrating them in local societies”. Recently, however, the UN notes, “there has been a sort of disenchantment in the multicultural principles in some host countries, with an increase of the debate on how to make immigrants conform as closely as possible to national norms”. In addition to knowledge of the local language and national culture among immigrants, suggests the UN Report, what is also necessary, however, is “increased action to promote respect for cultural, religious and ethical diversity in many countries”. Immigrants double in Europe in 40 years. In the period between 1960 and 2000 the number of international immigrants in Europe (excluding the former Soviet Union) grew from 14 to 33 million. The population of Germany would have inexorably declined from 1970 were it not for the influx of immigrants during this period. In the 1990s immigration contributed at least ¾ of the growth of the population in Austria, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland. The number of foreigners resident in Finland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain doubled in the 1990s. But the most significant flows in the 1950s and 1960s were inside Europe: Italians thus represent 7% of the total of foreigners resident in Europe, the Portuguese 4.9% and the citizens of the former Yugoslavia 6.2%. These percentages are not too far removed from the 12.4% of immigrants from Turkey, 5.3% from Morocco and the 2.2% from Algeria. “Many governments – points out the UN Report – in Europe and elsewhere historically have never perceived themselves as host countries. Non-citizens are generally discouraged from seeking permanent residence and eventual citizenship. But Germany, Ireland and Latvia have recently passed laws of citizenship to facilitate naturalization, and reinforce the sense of belonging and political participation”. The benefits of orderly migration. “Orderly and controlled migration brings benefits both for the countries of origin and the host countries”: that is one of the main conclusions of the UN Report, which lists, for example, the repercussions on the countries of origin. The positive effects include “the flow of remittances, the employment opportunities unavailable in the country, and the return of workers with skills that increase the local human capital”. The negative effects include “the loss of highly skilled workers and of tax revenue deriving from the taxation of workers”. The Report also suggests the policies that host countries ought to adopt, such as favouring short-term immigration, bilateral and regional accords, and cooperation in the development of the countries of origin.