The European Union’s high official for migration stated Monday that member states must confront powerful coverage challenges — even within the present election 12 months – to deal with the continent’s growing older inhabitants.
Ylva Johansson, the EU dwelling affairs commissioner, stated there was a urgent must shift away from unlawful migration and discover extra official alternate options.
“For demographic reasons, the population of working age in the EU will decrease by 1 million per year. It is decreasing by 1 million per year,” Johansson stated on a go to to Greece. “That means that legal migration should grow by more or less 1 million per year. And that is really a challenge.”
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The EU Fee is making an attempt to finalize an EU-wide overhaul of migration rules earlier than the tip of its time period and European Parliament elections in June. A preliminary settlement was reached final month.
European Commissioner for House Affairs, Ylva Johansson, attends a panel dialogue on migration in Athens, Greece, on Jan. 8, 2024. Johansson and Greek officers mentioned particulars of a preliminary EU settlement on migration administration reached final month following years of powerful negotiations. (AP Photograph/Michael Varaklas)
In line with projections made by the EU statistics company, Eurostat, the share of the inhabitants aged 65 or over will rise from 21.1% in 2022 to 31.3% by the tip of the century.
Johansson was joined by the EU Fee Vice President Margaritis Schinas in Athens for conferences with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and different officers.
Though issues over migration have fueled assist for far-right and anti-EU events in lots of European nations, Johansson argued that the “poison and causing xenophobia and racism” was generated by illegal migration.
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“I think what our citizens are really asking us is, not how many migrants (are arriving) but if we do this in an orderly way, how we manage it, who is in control or who is coming?” she stated.
Throughout Monday’s conferences, survivors of a migrant shipwreck that killed a whole bunch final 12 months attended a small demonstration organized by Greek activist teams to protest more durable border and maritime policing which they argue places migrants’ lives at larger danger.
Police blocked entry to the realm close to the migration affairs ministry the place Monday’s conferences occurred however made no arrests.
