CEPS欧洲政策研究中心-An-EU_11页_1mb

EU-Africa Partnership Scheme for Human Capital Formation and Skill Mobility

Core Content

This document outlines an ambitious EU-Africa partnership scheme aimed at improving human capital formation and skill mobility across the Mediterranean. The scheme is designed to address the challenges of irregular migration and promote legal migration alternatives, while fostering cooperation and mutual benefits between the EU and African countries.

Main Views

• Irregular migration remains a critical issue, with over 500,000 people crossing from African shores to Italy in the past five years. Many migrants apply for asylum but are not eligible for international protection, leading to prolonged stays and increased pressure on the EU's asylum system.
• Legal migration options for African nationals are limited, with a significant decline in the number of residence permits issued to them over the past decade. This has contributed to the reliance on irregular migration.
• The EU lacks a credible long-term strategy for engaging African countries in migration management. A partnership scheme is proposed to address this gap and align with the EU's development goals.
• Cooperation between the EU and Africa is essential to improve migration management, return policies, and labour market integration. This is not only a matter of security but also of economic and social development.

Key Elements of the Proposed Scheme

1. Vocational Training Programmes

   • Funded by the EU or member states.
   • Tailored to labour market needs in both the EU and African countries.
   • Aimed at upgrading skills in the countries of origin.
   • Training should exceed the number of migrants who will eventually migrate, to ensure skill development and capacity building in Africa.

2. Work Permits Issuance

   • EU member states would issue substantial numbers of work permits to trained individuals.
   • Permits should be flexible, allowing member states to manage the inflow of workers according to their needs.
   • Work permits could be temporary, with the possibility of renewal and eventual transition to a long-term status after five years.

3. Private Sector Involvement

   • The private sector would be actively involved in planning and implementing training programmes.
   • This ensures employability and facilitates job matching and hiring across the Mediterranean.
   • The EU could support this through financing job fairs and other recruitment mechanisms.

EU-Level Coordination

• The European Commission plays a key role in coordinating the scheme at the EU level, drawing on the Union Resettlement Framework as a model.
• Voluntary participation by member states is encouraged, with the EU providing central financing to ensure burden sharing.
• Strategic use of committed work permits allows the EU to address irregular migration and return challenges more effectively.

Scope and Costs

• The scheme does not require new legislation, only funding mechanisms.
• The costs vary depending on the country of origin, destination country, and profession.
• A rough annual estimate of €1 billion is proposed, with training costs around €10,000 per person for 100,000 people annually.
• The target is to train 100,000 people and offer employment to 50,000 in the EU each year.

Development and Political Rationale

• The scheme is framed as a development tool, aiming to improve human capital in African countries and reduce brain drain.
• Temporary migration is preferred for its development impact, including remittances, investment, and skill retention.
• The EU and African countries benefit from shared responsibilities and mutual gains, with the scheme complementing existing labour migration pathways.

Conclusion

The proposed EU-Africa partnership scheme offers a comprehensive approach to managing migration by addressing both supply-side (training and skill development) and demand-side (work permit issuance and private sector involvement) challenges. It is positioned as a key element of a broader EU-Africa development partnership, aiming to enhance cooperation, improve migration management, and support sustainable development on both sides of the Mediterranean.

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