Debates of the
European Parliament
SITTING OF WEDNESDAY, 14 JANUARY 2004
Immigration,
integration and employment
Karamanou (PSE). – (EL) Mr President,
on behalf of the Socialist Group of the European Parliament, I
should like to start by emphasising that my group expresses its
full support for the text of the report that we are debating today.
The Moraes report has remained precisely within the spirit and
letter of the decisions taken at Tampere, expressly calling for
a more dynamic policy to integrate immigrants, in the aim of granting
rights and obligations similar to those which apply to the citizens
of Europe.
Of course, immigration
policy cannot mean just guarding borders, it cannot only be identified
with repressive measures, repatriation and readmission. The Europe
of human rights and the Rule of Law needs to recognise the basic
labour and political rights of immigrants, to recognise what they
have to offer, their valuable contribution to the economic development
of Europe.
Of course, social integration
makes no sense without recognition of political rights and obligations,
in other words the right to vote and to be elected. I think that
a huge moral issue is in the making with the position of numerous
conservative Members, who gladly accept the exploitation of the
manpower of immigrants, especially in jobs which Europeans have
abandoned, and at the same time see them as a solution to the demographic
problem, but who say nothing about recognising their political
rights. Equally immoral is the stance of those who, with opportunistic
and expedient positions and practices, feed xenophobia and racism
in Europe in an endeavour to raise new Berlin walls in people's
minds and conscience.
Over the last ten years,
my political group has been fighting for a more humanitarian approach
to the problems caused by large waves of immigrants and refugees
and we are fighting for a pluralist and multicultural Europe, for
unity within our differences, where everyone will have their place
and rights without discrimination and without notional walls between
us.
European integration,
social cohesion and the Lisbon strategy will be unattainable objectives,
as you too stressed Commissioner, without the full safeguarding
and application of all the human and political rights which European
governments have promised to guarantee. I should like to express
my satisfaction, because I heard Mr Ahern this morning confirming
that the promotion of human rights is one of the priorities of
the Irish Presidency. Only if their rights are respected will people
of different origins and cultures feel part of the society in which
they legally live and work, bearers of rights and obligations with
their say on their everyday life, work, education, language learning,
housing, health services, social services, their cultural environment
and their political activities. Parliament has repeatedly proposed
full recognition of the political rights of anyone who has been
resident in the European Union for five years.
I should
also be obliged, Mr President, if you would allow me, as chairman
of the Committee on Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities, to
call for something which is missing from the Commission communication:
the integration of the gender aspect in all policies relating to
immigrants' rights. Women are the most vulnerable group and often
the first victims of economic and sexual exploitation. That is
why special measures need to be taken to combat discrimination
and facilitate their integration into social and professional life.
Such measures might be vocational training, childcare facilities,
individualisation of their rights, counselling, specialist research
etc.
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