Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-26-Speech-3-052"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070926.2.3-052"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we have spoken a great deal about migrants today. I would now like to focus attention for a moment on what our citizens are asking us. The question that citizens are asking us is this: we have millions of unemployed in the European Union, and yet at the same time, we are talking about the immigration of highly skilled workers. As politicians, we will have to devote a great deal of energy to explaining to our citizens that when it comes to skilled workers, we need the best brains in the world.
The citizens are asking us another question as well: 'Are you taking our concerns about this issue seriously?' We are talking about circular migration. Over recent decades, we have brought Turkish citizens into my own country and recruited them into the workforce. In the Czech Republic, we have the Vietnamese. Circular migration – in other words, these guest workers' return home – has not worked in these countries so far. Our citizens are asking: how do you intend to solve this problem? How does it all fit together?
We will also have to make it clear to citizens that we consider that migrants have a duty to integrate, just as Mr Lambrinidis has said, which means learning the language and making an effort to integrate. We will only generate citizens' understanding for a European migration policy – for legal immigration – if we make it clear that when it comes to illegal migration, illegal migrants will have to leave Europe. That is the only way to gain the public's endorsement of legal immigration.
The most important element in the report, in my view, is the clear commitment to Europe's citizens that we will leave quotas – in other words, the task of determining how many people enter the labour market – up to the Member States, just as before. That is where there is much more confidence among citizens.
I would like to thank our two rapporteurs, who have submitted a good report. On behalf of my group, the PPE-DE Group, let me say that we are pleased that our fellow Members from the left-wing parties in this House have also moved towards our position in many areas, notably on the issue of a robust policy on return, the issue of leaving quotas to national decision-making, and establishing effective border controls. For me, it is extremely gratifying that as the PPE-DE Group, we have been able to assert our position here."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples