Action in all fields

Tackling globalization, acting against climate change, cracking down on terrorism, supporting the economy, and protecting the health and jobs of EU citizens: the action launched by the Commission during this phase seems to cover all fields, in the hope of seeing the “Europe of results”, which for months has become the keyword at the Berlaymont, the Commission’s headquarters at the heart of Brussels, actually become a reality.IN RESPONSE TO GLOBALIZATION. On leaving the International Trade Fair venue in Lisbon after the summit that had approved the new EU Treaty in mid-October, JOSÉ MANUEL BARROSO , President of the Executive, explained that finally Europe, now that its institutional problem had been settled, “could return to dealing with people’s real problems”. “With the new Treaty – he said – the EU’s capacity for action increases” and it will be possible to “have a more effective Union” at the internal level and a “stronger Union on the international scene”. The following week, more precisely on 23 October, Barroso himself presented the Executive’s programme of work for 2008, which will be discussed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 13 November. The document is called “Turning Globalization into an Opportunity”. It “outlines our strategic initiatives and takes its cue from our commitment to furnish an added value to European citizens – explained Barroso -. We will take action in particular in such fields as growth and employment, sustainable Europe, the management of immigration, the attribution of a central role to citizens and Europe’s place as a world partner”. Commission Vice-President MARGOT WALLSTRÖM added: “The programme combines initiatives for the promotion of competitiveness with other actions that must respond to the interests of consumers and citizens; it also comprises priorities in terms of communication, representing a further step towards the reinforcement of the Commission’s policy to increase the visibility of Europe”.TOWARDS THE “BLUE CARD”. While the European Commissioners are preparing to outline the document to the Parliament in Strasbourg, before submitting it to the European Council for approval in December, the seat of the Executive in Brussels is a hive of activity. The dossiers relating to the candidate countries (Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia) and “potential candidates” (the other Balkan states) for EU membership were presented on Tuesday, 6 November. The autumn forecasts will be announced on Friday, 9 November: an eagerly awaited event to understand the economic trend of the EU and to examine possible corrective measures in this field. To these priority events should be added a multiplicity of decisions and proposals regarding, for example, the strategic partnership to support the automobile sector or that for the protection of the health of the 500 million citizens of the Union. Two legislative initiatives in the field of migration were presented on 23 October. The first was a draft directive on the admission of highly skilled immigrants, introducing the “EU Blue Card” to fast track immigration procedures in such cases. The second outlines a “single procedure for applying for a single residence and work permit and a common platform of rights for the workers of third countries who are legally resident in a member state”. Barroso explained the point of such measures: “Immigration for purposes of work in Europe makes our competitiveness more dynamic and consequently reinforces our economic growth. It also helps to redress the demographic problems caused by an ageing population. With the proposal of the EU Blue Card we are sending out a clear signal: highly skilled immigrants are welcome in the EU”. LABOUR AND RIGHTS. The draft directive on the admission of highly qualified immigrants “is aimed – explained Commissioner FRANCO FRATTINI – in establishing more advantageous conditions of entry and residence for citizens of third countries who intend to pursue highly skilled jobs in the member states of the EU”, with the introduction of the “Blue Card”, which is different in various respects from the Green Card in the USA. “The proposal does not give rise to an automatic right of admission. The system is entirely based on demand, respect for the principle of Community preference and the powers conferred on member states to decide on the number of immigrants to be admitted”. If a citizen of a third country is admitted by virtue of this regime, he will receive a special residence and work permit, namely the Blue Card, which “will confer on him a series of socio-economic rights and favourable conditions for family reunification”. The draft directive also makes provision for “facilitated access to the labour market”. In an effort to protect the developing countries, especially in Africa, from the negative effects of the brain drain, “the draft legislation calls for ethical norms to limit, if not even prevent, the member states from promoting the hiring of workers in the developing countries that already suffer from critical problems resulting from the brain drain”.