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Caritas Europa asks the EU to take impact of crisis on migration and development into consideration


Brussels, 24 March 2009 - As the global economic crisis unfolds, migration flows in Europe and globally are expected to increase. Migrant workers who have lost their jobs due to the crisis may return home after several years abroad, while people living in areas where jobs have been laid off may seek to migrate overseas in order to find new opportunities.

The mixture of crisis and migration has always been potentially explosive as competition for jobs intensifies. In their strategies to deal with the impact of the crisis on the labour market, some EU Member States, such as Spain, Italy, the UK and the Czech Republic, have adopted a series of policies aiming at reducing migrants’ admission for employment and encouraging unemployed migrants to return home.

Caritas Europa points out that these protectionist policies have a seamy side, as they are narrowing down the options for formal migration and may lead to more undocumented, unprotected migrant workers in receiving countries; increased human trafficking; as well as economic and social unrest in countries of origin.

“With the growing feeling of economic insecurity due to the crisis, people may be tempted to search for scapegoats. Migrants are always easy targets… even though financiers are responsible for the crisis. We fear a rise in discrimination and stigmatisation of migrants, if governments do not take coherent measures, respecting migrants’ rights and dignity”, says Peter Verhaeghe, Caritas Europa Migration Officer.    

     The number of undocumented migrant workers across the world is expected to rise in the face of the global financial crisis - Photo: Courtesy of Reuters/AlertNet 

The number of undocumented migrant workers across the world is expected to rise following the global financial crisis.

Photo: Courtesy of Reuters/AlertNet

Furthermore, millions of poor families around the world are widely depending on migrants’ remittances for their living. Because of the crisis, the loss of job or the return of migrants’ workers, up to 6% decrease in remittances is foreseen in 2009. The lack of confidence in the banking system, as another consequence of the crisis, cumulated with the traditionally disproportionately high bank fees may also discourage migrants to send money home through formal transfer channels.

“Such a significant drop in remittances poses a great threat to the fight against poverty. It is high time that our leaders better understand the linkages between migration and development, if they are serious about fighting poverty and reducing the negative consequences of the crisis at home and in developing countries”, says Blandine Bouniol, Caritas Europa Policy Officer for International Cooperation.

Caritas Europa advocates for a coherent response from the EU, that addresses the multi-dimensional and interconnected elements of the crisis, and that is based on human rights, including migrants’ rights and the right to development. The EU response must take greater consideration of the crisis impact on migration and development in Europe and abroad.

 

For more information, please contact:

Peter Verhaeghe
Migration Officer
Tel: +32 2 235 03 96
pverhaeghe@caritas-europa.org

Blandine Bouniol
Policy Officer for International Cooperation
Tel: + 32 2 235 26 55
bbouniol@caritas-europa.org 
 
 

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