EL    EL  ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ  ΤΩΝ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΩΝ  ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΩΝ  
Βρυξέλλες , 1.9.2005 
COM(2005) 390 τελικό  
  
ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ  ΤΗΣ  ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗΣ  ΣΤΟ  ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΙΟ , ΣΤΟ  ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΟ  
ΚΟΙΝΟΒΟΥΛΙΟ , ΣΤΗΝ  ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗ  ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΗ  ΚΑΙ  ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗ  
ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ  ΚΑΙ  ΣΤΗΝ  ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ  ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΩΝ  
Η σχέση  µετανάστευσης -ανάπτυξης : ορισ µένες συγκεκρι µένες κατευθύνσεις  
 
EL 2   EL ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ  ΤΗΣ  ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗΣ  ΣΤΟ  ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΙΟ , ΣΤΟ  ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΟ  
ΚΟΙΝΟΒΟΥΛΙΟ , ΣΤΗΝ  ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗ  ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΗ  ΚΑΙ  ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗ  
ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ  ΚΑΙ  ΣΤΗΝ  ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ  ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΩΝ  
Η σχέση  µετανάστευσης -ανάπτυξης : ορισ µένες συγκεκρι µένες κατευθύνσεις  
1. Εισαγωγή  
Τον ∆εκέ µβριο του 2002, η Επιτροπή  εξέδωσε  ανακοίνωση1 η οποία , µεταξύ  άλλων , 
επιχειρούσε  για πρώτη  φορά  να διευκρινίσει  τις σχέσεις  µεταξύ  µετανάστευσης  και 
ανάπτυξης , να υποδείξει  µερικές  βασικές  πρωτοβουλίες  και να προωθήσει  τη συνοχή  µεταξύ  
των δύο αυτών  τοµέων δράσης . 
Στο µεταξύ , το ζήτηµα της µετανάστευσης  και της ανάπτυξης  παρα µένει βασικής  
προτεραιότητας  στην  παγκόσ µια πολιτική  ηµερήσια  διάταξη . Οι χώρες  και οι διεθνείς  
οργανώσεις  αντιλα µβάνονται  όλο και περισσότερο  τη µετανάστευση  ως ένα φαινό µενο που 
µπορεί  να έχει σηµαντικές  θετικές  επιπτώσεις  στην  ανάπτυξη , εφόσον  θεσπιστούν  οι 
κατάλληλες  πολιτικές . Η σχέση  µεταξύ  µετανάστευσης  και ανάπτυξης  είναι  ένα από τα 
βασικά  θέµατα που εξετάστηκαν  από την Παγκόσ µια Επιτροπή  για τις ∆ιεθνείς  
Μεταναστεύσεις  (ΠΕ∆Μ ), η έκθεση  της οποίας  αναµένεται  κατά  τον Οκτώβριο  του 2005. 
Ο διάλογος  υψηλού  επιπέδου  σχετικά  µε τις µεταναστεύσεις  και την ανάπτυξη  (High Level 
Dialogue on Migration and Development) που προγρα µµατίστηκε  για το 2006 στο πλαίσιο  
της Γενικής  Συνέλευσης  των Ηνωµένων  Εθνών  αποτελεί  συµπληρω µατική  απόδειξη  της 
σηµασίας  της συζήτησης  αυτής , που παρουσιάζει  µεγάλο  ενδιαφέρον  για τις αναπτυσσό µενες 
χώρες . Το Ευρωπαϊκό  Κοινοβούλιο  εξέτασε  επίσης  τα ζητήµατα αυτά , µεταξύ  άλλων , στα 
πλαίσια  µιας ακρόασης  που διεξάχθηκε  τον Μάρτιο  του 2005. 
Λαµβανο µένων  υπόψη  των περιστάσεων  αυτών  και σε ένα πλαίσιο  όλο και πιο 
παγκοσ µιοποιη µένων  µεταναστευτικών  ροών , η Επιτροπή  προσπαθεί  να προσφέρει  µε το 
παρόν  έγγραφο  νέα στοιχεία  για την τροφοδότηση  της συζήτησης  αυτής . Ήταν  ενθαρρυντική  
η υποστήριξη  του Συµβουλίου2 και από το πρόγρα µµα της Χάγης  που εγκρίθηκε  από το 
Ευρωπαϊκό  Συµβούλιο3. Κατά  τον τρόπο  αυτό  θα επιτραπεί  επίσης  η ακριβέστερη  
αξιολόγηση  της έννοιας  της κοινής  ανάπτυξης  που εντάχθηκε  στα συµπεράσ µατα του 
Ευρωπαϊκού  Συµβουλίου  του Τάµπερε (1999).  
Η Επιτροπή  θεωρεί  ότι οι σχέσεις  µεταξύ  µετανάστευσης  και ανάπτυξης  προσφέρουν  
σηµαντικό  δυνα µικό για την εξυπηρέτηση  των στόχων  της ανάπτυξης , χωρίς  αυτό  να 
υποκαθιστά  την ενίσχυση  της Επίση µης Αναπτυξιακής  Βοήθειας  (ΕΑνΒ ) και τη βελτίωση  
των πολιτικών , που εξακολουθούν  να είναι  απαραίτητες  όσο ποτέ για την επίτευξη  των 
                                                 
1 « Για την ενσω µάτωση  των θεµάτων  της µετανάστευσης  στις σχέσεις  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Κοινότητας  για 
τις τρίτες  χώρες » (COM(2002) 703 τελικό  της 3.12.2002). 
2 Στα συµπεράσ µατα σχετικά  µε τη µετανάστευση  και την ανάπτυξη  της 19.5.2003. 
3 Το πρόγρα µµα της Χάγης  θεσπίστηκε  ως παράρτη µα στα συµπεράσ µατα του Ευρωπαϊκού  Συµβουλίου  
των Βρυξελλών  της 5.11.2004. 
 
EL 3   EL αναπτυξιακών  στόχων  της χιλιετίας  που συνδέονται  µε την ανάπτυξη , εντός  του 
συµφωνηθέντος  χρονοδιαγρά µµατος4. 
Το παρόν  έγγραφο  βασίζεται  στην  ανακοίνωση  του ∆εκε µβρίου  2002 που συνεχίζει  να 
καθορίζει  το πλαίσιο  που προορίζεται  για την ένταξη  των θεµάτων  µετανάστευσης  στις 
πολιτικές  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης  στον  τοµέα των εξωτερικών  σχέσεων  και της ανάπτυξης . 
Όπως  υπογρά µµιζε η εν λόγω  ανακοίνωση  και όπως  επιβεβαίωσαν  τα συµπεράσ µατα του 
Συµβουλίου  του Μαΐου  2003, η ένταξη  των θεµάτων  µετανάστευσης  πρέπει  να τηρεί  τη 
σφαιρική  συνοχή  των πολιτικών  και των εξωτερικών  δράσεων  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης  και 
να είναι  συµβατή  προς  τους στόχους  και τις προτεραιότητες  της κοινής  δήλωσης  
Συµβουλίου /Επιτροπής  σχετικά  µε την αναπτυξιακή  πολιτική  της ΕΚ5. 
Επίσης  η παρούσα  ανακοίνωση  δεν καλύπτει  το σύνολο  των θεµάτων  που εξετάστηκαν  στην  
ανακοίνωση  του 2002. Επικεντρώνεται  σε συγκεκρι µένα θέµατα, τα οποία  ουσιαστικά  
συνδέονται  µε τις µεταναστεύσεις  Νότου /Βορρά  και ιδίως  τις πιθανές  δράσεις  που θα 
µπορούσαν  να αναληφθούν  σε επίπεδο  Ένωσης , σε συνεργασία  µε τις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  
προέλευσης6. 
Η Επιτροπή  έλαβε  ήδη ορισµένα συγκεκρι µένα µέτρα, ιδίως  στο πλαίσιο  της κοινοτικής  
ενίσχυσης  προς  τρίτες  χώρες , ώστε  να βελτιώσει  τις επιπτώσεις  των µεταναστεύσεων  στην  
ανάπτυξη . Ορισ µένα από αυτά  περιγράφονται  λεπτο µερώς  στο Παράρτη µα 1. 
2. Νέα µέτρα  για τη βελτίωση  των επιπτώσεων  των µεταναστεύσεων  στην  
ανάπτυξη  
Με 25 κράτη  µέλη, η Ευρωπαϊκή  Ένωση  είναι  σηµαντικός  παράγοντας  στο διεθνές  
προσκήνιο . Για να συνεχίσει  την ανάπτυξη  των πολιτικών  της και να διασφαλίσει  µία 
συγκεκρι µένη συµβολή  της µεταναστευτικής  πολιτικής  στο στόχο  της πολιτικής  συνοχής  
στον  τοµέα της ανάπτυξης , οφείλει  να βασιστεί  στις βέλτιστες  πρακτικές  που αναπτύχθηκαν  
ή αναπτύσσονται  από κάθε  κράτος  µέλος ή από µη κρατικούς  παράγοντες  και οφείλει  επίσης  
να διδαχτεί  από τις πρακτικές  που προέρχονται  από άλλα  µέρη του κόσµου, 
περιλα µβανο µένων  των αναπτυσσό µενων  χωρών .  
Προβάλλοντας  τις βασικές  πλευρές  της παγκόσ µιας συζήτησης  για τις µεταναστεύσεις  και 
την ανάπτυξη  και σύµφωνα  µε τα συµπεράσ µατα του Συµβουλίου  του Μαΐου  2003, η 
Επιτροπή  καθόρισε  συγκεκρι µένες κατευθύνσεις  µε στόχο  τη βελτίωση  των επιπτώσεων  των 
µεταναστεύσεων  στην  ανάπτυξη , µε επίκεντρο  τις µεταναστεύσεις  Νότου /Βορρά . Για κάθε  
                                                 
4 Ανακοινώσεις  της Επιτροπής  της 12.4.2005 « Επίσπευση  της προόδου  για την επίτευξη  των 
αναπτυξιακών  στόχων  της χιλιετίας : η συµβολή  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης » COM(2005) 132), 
«Επιτάχυνση  της προόδου  που σηµειώνεται  όσον  αφορά  την επίτευξη  των αναπτυξιακών  στόχων  της 
χιλιετίας : χρηµατοδότηση  της ανάπτυξης  και αποτελεσ µατικότητα  της βοήθειας » (COM(2005) 133) και 
«Συνοχή  της αναπτυξιακής  πολιτικής : επιτάχυνση  της προόδου  που σηµειώνεται  όσον  αφορά  την 
επίτευξη  των αναπτυξιακών  στόχων  της χιλιετίας » (COM(2005) 134). 
5 Σύµφωνα  µε τα συµπεράσ µατα του Συµβουλίου , τα θέµατα ενσω µάτωσης  και µετανάστευσης  στις 
εξωτερικές  σχέσεις  και στις αναπτυξιακές  πολιτικές  θα πρέπει  να βασίζονται  επίσης  στον  πολιτικό  
διάλογο  και να υλοποιούνται  στο πλαίσιο  στρατηγικής  για τα έγγραφα  στρατηγικής  χώρας  και τα 
έγγραφα  περιφερειακής  στρατηγικής . 
6 Οι στόχοι  αυτοί  εξηγούν  την κάλυψη  της παρούσας  ανακοίνωσης : κατ’αρχήν  αφορά  τη µετανάστευση  
από αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  προς  την ΕΕ. ∆εν καλύπτει  τη µετανάστευση  εντός  της ΕΕ ή τη 
µετανάστευση  µεταξύ  της ΕΕ και άλλων  ανεπτυγ µένων  χωρών . Επίσης  δεν καλύπτει  τη µετανάστευση  
µεταξύ  αναπτυσσό µενων  χωρών , αν και ορισµένες από τις κατευθύνσεις  της µπορεί  να εντάσσονται  
στο πλαίσιο  τέτοιου  είδους  ροών . 
 
EL 4   EL έναν από τους τοµείς αυτούς , παρουσιάζονται  εν συντο µία σε παράρτη µα τα θέµατα που 
διακυβεύονται , καθώς  και διευκρινίσεις  σχετικά  µε τις πρωτοβουλίες  τις οποίες  προβλέπει  η 
Επιτροπή  ή εξετάζει  και/ή συστάσεις  που προορίζονται  για τα κράτη  µέλη σχετικά  µε τους 
τοµείς αρµοδιότητάς  τους. 
2.1. Εµβάσµατα προς  τις χώρες  προέλευσης7 
Η αύξηση  του όγκου  των εµβασµάτων  που έγιναν  από µετανάστες  κατά  τη διάρκεια  των 
τελευταίων  ετών  και µία καλύτερη  γνώση  των εν λόγω  χρηµατοδοτικών  ροών  προκάλεσαν  
την προσοχή  των υπεύθυνων  χάραξης  πολιτικής , διότι  οι ροές αυτές  µπορούν  ενδεχο µένως  να 
συµβάλουν  στην  επίτευξη  των στόχων  της ανάπτυξης  των χωρών  προέλευσης  των 
µεταναστών . Ασφαλώς , παρά  τον όγκο  τους, δεν θα προσφέρουν  θαυµατουργές  λύσεις  στον  
τοµέα της ανάπτυξης . Πρόκειται  για ιδιωτικά  εµβάσµατα που δεν θα µπορούσαν  να 
αντικαταστήσουν  την ΕΑΒ . Πάντως , το κόστος  των εν λόγω  εµβασµάτων  και γενικότερα  οι 
όροι βάσει  των οποίων  στέλνονται  τα εµβάσµατα συχνά  παρα µένουν  µη ικανοποιητικοί . 
Κατά  συνέπεια , υπάρχουν  δύο βασικοί  τοµείς πολιτικής  δράσης  σχετικά  µε τα εµβάσµατα 
προς  τη χώρα  προέλευσης , που συνίστανται  στο να καταστήσουν  τα εµβάσµατα λιγότερο  
δαπανηρά , ταχύτερα  και πιο ασφαλή  και να ενισχύσουν  τις επιπτώσεις  τους όσον  αφορά  την 
ανάπτυξη  στις παραλήπτριες  χώρες . Πάντως , οι απαραίτητες  προθεσ µίες για την επίτευξη  των 
δύο αποτελεσ µάτων  δεν είναι  ίδιες: στον  τελευταίο  αυτό  τοµέα υπάρχουν  συνέργιες  και 
σηµαντικές  αλληλεπικαλύψεις  µε τις γενικές  αναπτυξιακές  πολιτικές , ιδίως  στην  ανάπτυξη  
των χρηµαταγορών  και τη βελτίωση  του κανονιστικού  πλαισίου , που δεν µπορούν  να 
βελτιωθούν  παρά  µεσοπρόθεσ µα ή µακροπρόθεσ µα. Από την άλλη  πλευρά , µπορεί  να 
επιτευχθεί  σε βραχύτερο  χρονικό  διάστη µα η βελτίωση  των όρων  αποστολής  των 
εµβασµάτων . 
2.1.1. Η προώθηση  της φθηνής , γρήγορης  και ασφαλούς  αποστολής  εµβασµάτων  
Οι σχεδιασθείσες  ή προβλεπό µενες πρωτοβουλίες  της Επιτροπής  και οι συστάσεις  της για την 
εγγύηση  φθηνών , γρήγορων  και ασφαλών  ροών , για τις αποστολές  εµβασµάτων  µπορούν  να 
συνοψιστούν  ως εξής: 
Πληρέστερα  στοιχεία  
Τα επίση µα στοιχεία  σχετικά  µε τις ροές εµβασµάτων  είναι  ασαφή , συχνά  ανεπαρκή  και δεν 
περιλα µβάνουν  τα εναλλακτικά  κυκλώ µατα αποστολής  εµβασµάτων . Η Επιτροπή  θα 
ξεκινήσει  πρωτοβουλίες  µε στόχο  τη βελτίωση  συλλογής  στοιχείων  για µια καλύτερη  
κατανόηση  της έκτασης  των ροών  των εµβασµάτων  εκ µέρους  των µεταναστών . Ειδικότερα  
θα εξετάσει  µε τα κράτη  µέλη τη δυνατότητα  διαβίβασης  πληροφοριών  σχετικά  µε την 
αποστολή  εµβασµάτων  ανά χώρα  προορισ µού. 
Σε συνεργασία  µε ιδρύµατα όπως  η Παγκόσ µια Τράπεζα , θα ενθαρρύνει  επίσης  µελέτες  
σχετικά  µε τα νοικοκυριά  που θα επιτρέπουν  να αποκαλυφθούν  τα άτυπα  κυκλώ µατα 
αποστολής  εµβασµάτων , εστιάζοντας  σε επιλεγείσες  διµερείς  "θυγατρικές  αποστολής  
εµβασµάτων ". 
                                                 
7 Για τους στόχους  της παρούσας  ανακοίνωσης  ο όρος  «εµβάσµατα» νοείται  µε την ευρεία  έννοια , καθώς  
περιλα µβάνει  όλες τις οικονο µικές µεταβιβάσεις  χρηµάτων  από µετανάστες  σε αποδέκτες  στις χώρες  
προέλευσής  τους. Η έννοια  αυτή  χρησι µοποιείται  ευρύτερα  απ'ότι στα πλαίσια  του ισοζυγίου  
πληρω µών. 
 
EL 5   EL Εξάλλου , θα εκπονήσει  µελέτες  για τη συλλογή  περισσότερων  πληροφοριών  σχετικά  µε τον 
τοµέα της αποστολής  εµβασµάτων , της διάρθρωσης  του κόστους , τους ενδεχό µενους  δείκτες  
µιας έλλειψης  ανταγωνισ µού και τις τεχνικές  ανεπάρκειες . 
∆ιαφάνεια  
Η Επιτροπή  προβλέπει  την έκδοση  µιας πρότασης  οδηγίας  σχετικά  µε τις υπηρεσίες  
πληρω µών µε στόχο  την ενίσχυση  του ανταγωνισ µού και της διαφάνειας , υποχρεώνοντας  
τους παρέχοντες  τις εν λόγω  υπηρεσίες  να καθιστούν  τις δαπάνες  (περιλα µβανο µένων  των 
πράξεων  µετατροπής  του συναλλάγ µατος) και τους άλλους  όρους  (όπως  οι προθεσ µίες 
εκτέλεσης ) πλήρως  διαφανείς  για τους πελάτες . Θα υποχρεώσει  επίσης  τα κράτη  µέλη να 
δηµιουργήσουν  ένα µητρώο  όλων  των εγκεκρι µένων  ιδρυµάτων  πληρω µών 
(περιλα µβανο µένων  των οργανισ µών µεταφοράς  κεφαλαίων ) που θα πρέπει  να ενηµερώνεται  
τακτικά  και να διατίθεται  για την ενηµέρωση  του κοινού , ιδίως  µέσω διαδικτύου .  
Η Επιτροπή  καλεί  επίσης  τα κράτη  µέλη να ενθαρρύνουν  πρωτοβουλίες  για την παροχή  
συµπληρω µατικών  και κατάλληλων  πληροφοριών  στους  µετανάστες  και θα ενισχύσει  το 
διάλογο  µεταξύ  κρατών  µελών  για τον προσδιορισ µό των βέλτιστων  πρακτικών  στον  τοµέα 
αυτό .  
Επίσης  προτίθεται  να υποστηρίξει  τη δηµιουργία  ενός δικτυακού  τόπου  σε ευρωπαϊκή  
κλίµακα που θα παρουσιάζει  πληροφορίες  σχετικά  µε το κόστος  και τους όρους  που 
εφαρ µόζονται  στα διάφορα  κυκλώ µατα αποστολής  εµβασµάτων , περιλα µβανο µένων  των 
συµβατικών  κυκλω µάτων . 
Νοµικό πλαίσιο  
Ακόµη και στο εσωτερικό  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης , όπου  οι χρηµαταγορές  είναι  σε µεγάλο  
βαθµό ενοποιη µένες, η κανονιστική  ρύθµιση που εφαρ µόζεται  στις υπηρεσίες  αποστολής  
εµβασµάτων  ποικίλλει  αισθητά  από τη µια χώρα  στην  άλλη . Η Επιτροπή  σχεδιάζει  να 
ενθαρρύνει  τη δηµιουργία  ισότι µων συνθηκών  βάσει  εναρ µονισµένων  διατάξεων  για τη 
χορήγηση  αδειών  στο σύνολο  της Ένωσης . Η µελλοντική  πρόταση  οδηγίας  σχετικά  µε τις 
υπηρεσίες  πληρω µών θα διασφαλίσει  την υπαγωγή  των οργανισ µών µεταφοράς  κεφαλαίων  
στις κατάλληλες  κανονιστικές  απαιτήσεις , που θα είναι  εναρ µονισµένες για το σύνολο  της 
Ένωσης  και προσαρ µοσµένες στο δικό τους ιδιαίτερο  προφίλ  κινδύνου . 
Εξάλλου , η Επιτροπή  θα υποστηρίξει  µια ανταλλαγή  πληροφοριών  σχετικά  µε τις 
πρωτοβουλίες  της αγοράς  που στοχεύουν  στη µείωση  του κόστους  των ροών  αποστολής  
εµβασµάτων . 
Η Επιτροπή  είναι  διατεθει µένη να συζητήσει  µε τις ενδιαφερό µενες αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  
για τις δυνατότητες  άρσης  των φραγ µών στις ροές αποστολής  εµβασµάτων  και να καθορίσει , 
ενδεχο µένως , εάν θα µπορούσε  να παρασχεθεί  από την Επιτροπή  µία ειδική  τεχνική  βοήθεια  
για τη βελτίωση  των χρηµατοοικονο µικών  τους υποδο µών στο πλαίσιο  των προγρα µµάτων  
της, καθώς  επίσης  και εκ µέρους  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Τράπεζας  Επενδύσεων . 
Τεχνικό  πλαίσιο  
Η Επιτροπή  θα εξετάσει  επίσης  τη δυνατότητα  να παράσχει , στο πλαίσιο  του προγρά µµατος 
Aeneas, µ ία οικονο µική στήριξη  στα πιλοτικά  προγρά µµατα που ευνοούν  τη χρήση  νέων  
τεχνολογιών  για την παροχή  υπηρεσιών  αποστολής  εµβασµάτων  µε χαµηλό κόστος , εύκολη  
 
EL 6   EL πρόσβαση  και ανταγωνιστικούς  όρους , ανοίγοντας  οικονο µικές προοπτικές  στις 
αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες . 
Πρόσβαση  στις χρηµατοοικονο µικές υπηρεσίες  
Η Επιτροπή  θα εξετάσει  το ζήτηµα της πρόσβασης  των µεταναστών  στις χρηµατοοικονο µικές 
υπηρεσίες  στο πλαίσιο  των επαφών  της µε τα ενδιαφερό µενα µέρη. Είναι  επίσης  διατεθει µένη 
να εξετάσει , σε συνεργασία  µε τις εν λόγω  χώρες , πρωτοβουλίες  που προορίζονται  για τη 
βελτίωση  της πρόσβασης  στις τραπεζικές  και χρηµατοοικονο µικές υπηρεσίες  στις 
αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες , τονίζοντας  τον ενδεχό µενο ρόλο  των µικροχρη µατοδοτικών  
ιδρυµάτων , καθώς  και τα κατάλληλα  συνοδευτικά  µέτρα (δραστηριότητες  ενηµέρωσης , κλπ). 
∆ιευκρινίσεις  σχετικά  µε τις εν λόγω  πρωτοβουλίες  και συστάσεις  περιλα µβάνονται  στο 
παράρτη µα 2. 
2.1.2 ∆ιευκόλυνση  της συµβολής  των αποστολών  εµβασµάτων  στην ανάπτυξη  των χωρών  
προέλευσης  των µεταναστών  
Όπως  προαναφέρθηκε , οι αποστολές  εµβασµάτων  προς  τις χώρες  προέλευσης  αφορούν  
ιδιωτικά  ποσά  και δεν θα καταλήξουν  σε παραγωγικές  επενδύσεις  παρά  εάν οι δικαιούχοι  
είναι  σε θέση  να κάνουν  σωστές  επιλογές  και εφόσον  έχουν  τα κατάλληλα  κίνητρα . Η 
ανάπτυξη  τέτοιου  είδους  κινήτρων  και η βελτίωση  των επιλογών  στις παραλήπτριες  χώρες  
εντάσσονται  σε µια σφαιρικότερη  και πιο µακροχρόνια  προσέγγιση  ανάπτυξης . 
Οι σχεδιαζό µενες ή προβλεφθείσες  πρωτοβουλίες  της Επιτροπής  και οι συστάσεις  της για τη 
διευκόλυνση  της συµβολής  των αποστολών  εµβασµάτων  στην  ανάπτυξη  των χωρών  
προέλευσης  των µεταναστών  µπορούν  να συνοψιστούν  ως εξής: 
Χρηµατοπιστωτική  διαµεσολάβηση  στις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  
Η Επιτροπή  επιθυ µεί να εξετάσει , σε συνεργασία  µε τις ενδιαφερό µενες χώρες  και 
ενδεχο µένως  µε την ΕΤΕπ , τις δυνατότητες  ενίσχυσης  της χρηµατοπιστωτικής  
διαµεσολάβησης  στις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες , ιδίως  διευκολύνοντας  εταιρικές  σχέσεις  µεταξύ  
των µικροχρη µατοδοτικών  ιδρυµάτων  και των βασικών  χρηµατοπιστωτικών  ιδρυµάτων . 
Αν και η ΕΚ δεν µπορεί  να χρηµατοδοτήσει  κονδύλια /ανανεώσι µα κονδύλια  και εγγυητικά  
κεφάλαια  για µικροχρη µατοδοτικές  πράξεις , ιδίως  εκείνες  που αφορούν  τους µετανάστες , η 
Επιτροπή  είναι  διατεθει µένη να εξετάσει  την προοπτική  εταιρικών  σχέσεων  στους  τοµείς 
αυτούς  µε τα ενδιαφερό µενα ∆ΤΙ, περιλα µβανο µένης της ΕΤΕπ , ώστε  να επιτευχθεί  µία 
αρχική  συµφωνία  µε τα θεσµικά αυτά  όργανα  και τα τελευταία  αυτά  να αναλάβουν  πλήρως  
την ευθύνη  της λειτουργικής  εφαρ µογής του κονδυλίου /εγγυητικού  κεφαλαίου . 
Αποστολή  συλλογικών  κεφαλαίων  και καθεστώτα  συγχρη µατοδότησης  
Μετά  την αξιολόγηση  της βιωσι µότητας , της καταλληλότητας  και της αποτελεσ µατικότητας  
των πιλοτικών  σχεδίων  που χρηµατοδοτήθηκαν  από την παλαιά  θέση  του προϋπολογισ µού 
Β7-667 (βλ. παράρτη µα 1), η Επιτροπή  θα εξετάσει  τη δυνατότητα  να παράσχει  
χρηµατοδότηση , στο πλαίσιο  των κατάλληλων  κονδυλίων  του προϋπολογισ µού, σε κοινά  
σχέδια  των κοινοτήτων  της διασποράς , κατά  προτί µηση που θα προέρχονται  από τουλάχιστον  
δύο κράτη  µέλη και των τοπικών  οργανώσεων  για την υποστήριξη  της τοπικής  ανάπτυξης . 
 
EL 7   EL ∆ιευκρινίσεις  σχετικά  µε τις εν λόγω  πρωτοβουλίες  και συστάσεις  περιλα µβάνονται  στο 
παράρτη µα 3. 
2.2. Οι κοινότητες  της διασποράς  ως παράγοντες  ανάπτυξης  των χωρών  προέλευσης  
Οι κοινότητες  της διασποράς  αναγνωρίζονται  όλο και περισσότερο  ως σηµαντικοί  δυνητικοί  
παράγοντες  στην  ανάπτυξη  των χωρών  προέλευσης , όπως  αυτό  υπογρα µµίστηκε  στο 
τελευταίο  µέρος σχετικά  µε την αποστολή  εµβασµάτων . Οι σχεδιαζό µενες ή προβλεφθείσες  
συγκεκρι µένες πρωτοβουλίες  της Επιτροπής , καθώς  και οι συστάσεις  της που στοχεύουν  στην  
αύξηση  της συµµετοχής  των µελών  των κοινοτήτων  της διασποράς  τα οποία  το επιθυ µούν 
στην  ανάπτυξη  των χωρών  προέλευσής  τους, µπορούν  να συνοψιστούν  ως εξής: 
Συνδρο µή στις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  στο να εντοπίσουν  τις κοινότητες  διασποράς  τους  
και να θεσπίσουν  δεσµούς µε αυτές  
Η Επιτροπή  θα εξετάσει  τη δυνατότητα  στήριξης  των προσπαθειών  που αναλήφθηκαν  από τις 
χώρες  προέλευσης , σε επίπεδο  εθνικό  ή περιφερειακό , για τη σύσταση  βάσεων  δεδοµένων  
στις οποίες  τα µέλη των κοινοτήτων  της διασποράς  που επιθυ µούν να συµβάλουν  στην  
ανάπτυξη  των χωρών  προέλευσής  τους θα µπορούν  να καταχωριστούν  εθελοντικά  και 
γενικότερα , για τη συντήρηση  των δεσµών µεταξύ  των εν λόγω  χωρών  και των κοινοτήτων  
διασποράς  τους, σε συντονισ µό µε άλλους  χορηγούς  βοήθειας . 
Η Επιτροπή  καλεί  τα κράτη  µέλη που δεν το πράττουν  ακόµη να εντοπίσουν  τις κοινότητες  
διασποράς  τους και να αναπτύξουν  επαφές  µαζί τους κατά  τρόπο  ώστε  να τις καταστήσουν  
κατάλληλους  και αντιπροσωπευτικούς  συνο µιλητές  στην  αναπτυξιακή  πολιτική  και/ή 
ενδεχό µενους  εµπνευστές  αναπτυξιακών  σχεδίων  στις χώρες  προέλευσης . 
Θα ήταν  επίσης  ευπρόσδεκτη  η λήψη  µέτρων  εκ µέρους  των οργανώσεων  που 
αντιπροσωπεύουν  τις κοινότητες  της διασποράς  οι οποίες  συµµετέχουν  στην  ανάπτυξη  των 
χωρών  προέλευσης  ώστε  να θεσπιστεί  ένας µηχανισ µός που θα µπορεί  να εγγυηθεί  µία 
κατάλληλη  εκπροσώπηση  των συµφερόντων  τους σε επίπεδο  Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης , ιδίως  
όσον  αφορά  τις πολιτικές  που παρουσιάζουν  ενδιαφέρον  για τις χώρες  αυτές .  
Νεολαία  
Συµπληρω µατικά  στις ήδη υπάρχουσες  πρωτοβουλίες , που λαµβάνονται  ιδίως  από τις τοπικές  
αρχές  στο πλαίσιο  σχεδίων  αδελφοποίησης  και που πρέπει  να ενθαρρύνονται , η Επιτροπή  θα 
αξιολογήσει  τη σκοπι µότητα  προγρα µµάτων  ανταλλαγών  για τη νεολαία , εστιασ µένων  ιδίως  
στις κοινότητες  µεταναστών , βάσει  της κτηθείσας  εµπειρίας  από τα υπάρχοντα  
ενδοευρωπαϊκά  προγρά µµατα. 
∆ιευκρινίσεις  σχετικά  µε τις εν λόγω  πρωτοβουλίες  και συστάσεις  περιλα µβάνονται  στο 
παράρτη µα 4. 
 
EL 8   EL 2.3. Κυκλική  µετανάστευση  και κυκλοφορία  εγκεφάλων  
Η επιστροφή8 των µεταναστών , ακόµη και προσωρινή  ή εικονική , µπορεί  να διαδρα µατίσει  
σηµαντικό  ρόλο  για την ενθάρρυνση  της µεταφοράς  δεξιοτήτων  προς  τον αναπτυσσό µενο 
κόσµο, από κοινού  µε άλλες  µορφές  κυκλοφορίας  εγκεφάλων . Η διευκόλυνση  µιας κυκλικής  
µετανάστευσης  θα µπορούσε  επίσης  να διαδρα µατίσει  σηµαντικό  ρόλο  ως προς  αυτό . 
Εξάλλου , οι κατευθύνσεις  τις οποίες  θα προσδιορίσει  η Επιτροπή  ως αποτέλεσ µα της 
συζήτησης  η οποία  θα ακολουθήσει  τη δηµοσίευση  της Πράσινης  Βίβλου  της σχετικά  µε την 
οικονο µική µετανάστευση  θα επιτρέψουν  µία περαιτέρω  ανάπτυξη  της πλευράς  αυτής  καθώς  
και µια µεγαλύτερη  ενσω µάτωση  των ζητηµάτων  ανάπτυξης  στην  κοινοτική  πολιτική  
µετανάστευσης . Οι προβλεφθείσες  ή σχεδιαζό µενες λεπτο µερείς  πρωτοβουλίες  της 
Επιτροπής , καθώς  και οι συστάσεις  της στους  τοµείς αυτούς , µπορούν  να συνοψιστούν  ως 
εξής: 
Το δυνα µικό της προσωρινής  µετανάστευσης  
Οι πολιτικές  που στοχεύουν  στη µεγιστοποίηση  των επιπτώσεων , στον  τοµέα της ανάπτυξης , 
των προσωρινών  µεταναστεύσεων , συµπληρώνοντας  τις γενικές  συστάσεις  σχετικά  µε την 
αποστολή  εµβασµάτων , πρέπει  ουσιαστικά  να επιδιώξουν  την ενθάρρυνση  της κυκλικής  
µετανάστευσης , δίνοντας  προτεραιότητα  σε νέες έκτακτες  θέσεις  απασχόλησης  για τους 
εργαζο µένους  που έχουν  ήδη εργαστεί  υπό το καθεστώς  αυτό  και επέστρεψαν  στις χώρες  
τους στο τέλος  της σύµβασης , καθώς  επίσης  να προσφέρει  την κατάλληλη  αντα µοιβή στους  
µετανάστες  που συµµετέχουν  στο σύστη µα αυτό . Για παράδειγ µα, θα ήταν  δυνατό  να 
στηριχθεί  στην  εµπειρία  ορισµένων  κρατών  µελών  στον  τοµέα της επιστροφής  
συνταξιοδοτικών  εισφορών  στο τέλος  της σύµβασης  του εργαζο µένου ή στην  πρόβλεψη  της 
καταβολής  ενός συµπληρω µατικού  "εφάπαξ " ποσού  που θα συµπλήρωνε  τις οικονο µίες του 
εργαζο µένου. Βάσει  των αποτελεσ µάτων  της συζήτησης  για την Πράσινη  Βίβλο  σχετικά  µε 
την οικονο µική µετανάστευση , η Επιτροπή  θα µελετήσει  επίσης  τη δυνατότητα  καθορισ µού 
ενός γενικού  πλαισίου  για την άφιξη  και βραχυπρόθεσ µη διαµονή εποχιακών  µεταναστών  
στον  κοινό  χώρο .  
∆ιευκόλυνση  της επιστροφής  µεταναστών  
Η Επιτροπή  θα καλέσει  τα κράτη  µέλη και τους λοιπούς  ενδιαφερο µένους  να µοιραστούν  την 
εµπειρία  τους σχετικά  µε την εκπόνηση  και τη διαχείριση  προγρα µµάτων  ενισχυό µενης 
επιστροφής  και σχετικά  µε την υποστήριξη  των χωρών  προέλευσης  ενόψει  της επιτυχούς  
επανένταξης  των µεταναστών  που επιστρέφουν  στη χώρα  τους. Στο πλαίσιο  αυτό , θα 
ξεκινήσει  συζήτηση  µε τα κράτη  µέλη σχετικά  µε το ζήτηµα που συνδέεται  µε µία πολιτική  
βραχυχρόνιων  θεωρήσεων . 
Η Επιτροπή  θα εξετάσει  τη δυνατότητα  πρότασης  µέτρων  σε τοµείς όπως  το µεταβιβάσι µο 
των συνταξιοδοτικών  δικαιω µάτων , η αναγνώριση  των προσόντων  ή των µηχανισ µών που 
αποσκοπούν  στο να εγγυηθούν  στους  ερευνητές  ή άλλους  επαγγελ µατίες  εργαζο µένους  που 
έχουν  εργαστεί  στην  Ευρωπαϊκή  Ένωση  να µπορούν  να παρα µείνουν  σε επαφή  µε τους 
παλαιούς  συναδέλφους  τους, κατά  τρόπο  ώστε  να διευκολύνεται  η εθελούσια  επιστροφή  και 
να ενισχύεται  µία επιτυχής  επανένταξή  τους. 
                                                 
8 Στο παρόν  τµήµα, η έννοια  του όρου  «επιστροφή » νοείται  ευρέως , που συνεπάγεται  πως δεν 
περιορίζεται  στους  επαναπατρισ µούς στο πλαίσιο  παράνο µης µετανάστευσης . Σε πολλές  περιπτώσεις , 
αναφέρεται  στη διαδικασίας  εκούσιας  επιστροφής  στη χώρα  προέλευσης . 
 
EL 9   EL Προσωρινές  ή εικονικές  επιστροφές  
Η Επιτροπή  προτείνει  να στηριχθού µε στην  υπάρχουσα  εµπειρία  στον  τοµέα των 
προγρα µµάτων  προσωρινής  ή εικονικής  επιστροφής  και να την επεκτείνου µε, ενδεχο µένως , 
σε άλλα  µέρη του αναπτυσσό µενου κόσµου. Θα εξετάσει  επίσης  την πιθανότητα  ενίσχυσης  
σε συστή µατα εκµάθησης  µέσω του ∆ιαδικτύου  στο πλαίσιο  των κοινοτικών  προγρα µµάτων  
σχετικά  µε τις τεχνολογίες  πληροφορίας  και επικοινωνιών . 
Επιπλέον , θα αναληφθούν  πρωτοβουλίες  δυνά µει του 7ου προγρά µµατος πλαισίου  έρευνας  
και ανάπτυξης  για τη διευκόλυνση  της δικτύωσης  µεταξύ  αλλοδαπών  ερευνητών  που 
εργάζονται  στην  Ευρωπαϊκή  Ένωση , και ιδίως  εκείνων  που εργάζονται  σε τοµείς οι οποίοι  
παρουσιάζουν  άµεσο ενδιαφέρον  για τις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  και τους οργανισ µούς 
έρευνας  στις χώρες  προέλευσής  τους. 
Η Επιτροπή  θα καταβάλει  επίσης  προσπάθειες  ώστε  τα δικαιώ µατα διαµονής στην  
Ευρωπαϊκή  Ένωση  των µελών  των κοινοτήτων  της διασποράς  που αποφασίζουν  να 
δεσµευτούν  σε αυτό  το είδος  των δραστηριοτήτων  να µην αλλοιωθούν  από τις προσωρινές  
επιστροφές  τους στις χώρες  προέλευσής  τους.  
Στο µέλλον , η Επιτροπή  θα συνεχίσει  να υποστηρίζει , στο πλαίσιο  του προγρά µµατος 
Aeneas, σχέδια  χάρη  στα οποία  οι µετανάστες  ή τα µέλη των κοινοτήτων  της διασποράς  θα 
δηµιουργήσουν  βιώσι µες οικονο µικές δραστηριότητες  στις χώρες  προέλευσής  τους, µε 
προτί µηση για τα σχέδια  που θα υλοποιηθούν  σε τρίτες  χώρες  και θα περιλα µβάνουν  
κοινότητες  διασποράς  τουλάχιστον  από δύο κράτη  µέλη. Τα σχέδια  αυτά  πρέπει  να είναι  
συµβατά  προς  τη στρατηγική  ανάπτυξης  των τρίτων  ενδιαφερο µένων  χωρών .  
Εξάλλου , η Επιτροπή  θα µελετήσει  περισσότερο  τον τρόπο  µε τον οποίο  οι ενδιαφερό µενοι 
επιχειρη µατίες , που προέρχονται  από κοινότητες  µεταναστών , µπορούν  να συµβάλουν  στην  
ανάπτυξη  των χωρών  προέλευσής  τους, τα προβλή µατα που αντιµετωπίζουν  ως προς  αυτό  
και τις πολιτικές  που θα έπρεπε  να θεσπιστούν  για την υπέρβαση  των προβλη µάτων  αυτών . 
Η Επιτροπή  θα ενθαρρύνει  τον εντοπισ µό των βέλτιστων  πρακτικών  σε τοµείς όπως  οι 
αποσπάσεις  ή οι άδειες  άνευ  αποδοχών  και οι συναφείς  πλευρές  στον  τοµέα της κοινωνικής  
ασφάλισης , που δύνανται  να διευκολύνουν  την προσωρινή  επιστροφή , στο πλαίσιο  του 
διαλόγου  που θα ξεκινήσει  µε τα κράτη  µέλη ως συνέχεια  της παρούσας  ανακοίνωσης . 
∆ιευκρινίσεις  σχετικά  µε τις εν λόγω  πρωτοβουλίες  και συστάσεις  περιλα µβάνονται  στο 
παράρτη µα 5. 
2.4. Μείωση  των αρνητικών  επιπτώσεων  της διαρροής  εγκεφάλων  
Η διάσταση  Βορράς /Νότος  δεν αποτελεί  παρά  ένα παράδειγ µα του ζητήµατος της διαρροής  
εγκεφάλων , που περιέχει  επίσης  µια διάσταση  Βορρά /Βορρά  (επηρεάζει  επίσης  την ΕΕ) και 
µία διάσταση  Νότου /Νότου . Αντικατοπτρίζει  το ευρύτερο  φαινό µενο της παγκοσ µιοποίησης  
και καµία ενιαία  και απλή  πολιτική  απάντηση  δεν επιτρέπει  την αντιµετώπιση  της τεράστιας  
αυτής  πρόκλησης . Επίσης , το ζήτηµα αυτό  δεν αφορά  το σύνολο  των αναπτυσσό µενων  
χωρών  και τοµέων. Κατά  συνέπεια , οι πολιτικές  απαντήσεις  θα πρέπει  να σχεδιάζονται  σε 
συνάρτηση  µε τις ειδικές  ανάγκες  και προκλήσεις  που τίθενται  σε κάθε  ενδιαφερό µενη χώρα . 
Εξάλλου , πρόκειται  για έναν τοµέα στον  οποίο  τα κράτη  µέλη διατηρούν  σηµαντικές  ευθύνες  
και στον  οποίο  τα µέσα δράσης  είναι  σχετικά  περιορισ µένα σε κοινοτικό  επίπεδο . Το 2002, η 
Επιτροπή  είχε προτείνει  την ιδέα ενός ευρωπαϊκού  κώδικα  δεοντολογίας  µε στόχο  µια 
 
EL 10   EL πειθαρχία  στις προσλήψεις  στις περιπτώσεις  όπου  η διαδικασία  τους θα είχε πολύ  αρνητικές  
επιπτώσεις  για τις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες . Μέχρι  στιγµής, η ιδέα αυτή  δεν βρήκε  καµία 
συνέχεια  εκ µέρους  των κρατών  µελών . Πάντως , η Επιτροπή  έχει πειστεί  ότι µπορούν  να 
εφαρ µοστούν  άλλες  πρωτοβουλίες  για την αντιµετώπιση  του θέµατος της διαρροής  των 
εγκεφάλων , σύµφωνα  µε τις ακόλουθες  κατευθύνσεις : 
Η τεκµηριω µένη βάση  
Η Επιτροπή , σε συνεργασία  µε άλλους  ενδιαφερό µενους  χορηγούς  βοήθειας  οργανισ µούς, 
επιθυ µεί να στηρίξει  τις προσπάθειες  των αναπτυσσό µενων  χωρών  που επιδιώκουν  τη 
βελτίωση  των γνώσεών  τους στον  τοµέα της αγοράς  εργασίας , ιδίως  την έλλειψη  ή το 
πλεόνασ µα προσόντων  σε τοµεακό  επίπεδο . Αυτό  θα χρησί µευε ως βάση  για τις εν λόγω  
χώρες  ώστε  να βρουν  λύσεις  στα εντοπισθέντα  προβλή µατα, στο πλαίσιο  των στρατηγικών  
τους µείωσης  της φτώχειας .  
Ως παράδειγ µα πιθανών  απαντήσεων , η Επιτροπή  αυτή  τη στιγµή προετοι µάζει µία χωριστή  
ανακοίνωση , σχετικά  µε τη διαχείριση  της κρίσης  των ανθρώπινων  πόρων  στον  τοµέα της 
υγείας , που θα στοχεύει  στην  εκπόνηση  µιας σειράς  καινοτό µων απαντήσεων  στην  κρίση  
ανθρώπινων  πόρων  που υπάρχει  στις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες , στο πλαίσιο  του ευρύτερου  
τοµέα της υγείας  των χωρών  αυτών , και µε βάση  το πλαίσιο  που καθορίστηκε  από την 
παρούσα  ανακοίνωση . 
Πειθαρχία  στις προσλήψεις  
Η Επιτροπή  ενθαρρύνει  τα κράτη  µέλη να αναπτύξουν  µηχανισ µούς όπως  κώδικες  
δεοντολογίας  για τον περιορισ µό των ενεργών  προσλήψεων  που θα είχαν  σηµαντικές  
αρνητικές  επιπτώσεις  σε ορισµένες αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες , ιδίως  στον  τοµέα της 
υγειονο µικής περίθαλψης  καθώς  και για τον συντονισ µό των αντίστοιχων  προσπαθειών  τους 
στον  τοµέα αυτό . 
Η Επιτροπή  θα προσπαθήσει  επίσης  να πείσει  άλλες  σηµαντικές  χώρες  προορισ µού να 
ασχοληθούν  µε αντίστοιχες  διευθετήσεις . Οι δυνατότητες  µιας παγκόσ µιας προσέγγισης  της 
πολιτικής  προσλήψεων  θα έπρεπε  να µελετηθούν  και το ζήτηµα αυτό  θα έπρεπε  να τεθεί  
στους  κατάλληλους  διεθνείς  κύκλους , όπως  ο ΠΟΕ . 
Ενθάρρυνση  των θεσµικών  εταίρων  
Η ενθάρρυνση  εταιρικών  σχέσεων  µεταξύ  των θεσµικών  οργάνων  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης  
και των ενδιαφερο µένων  αναπτυσσο µένων  χωρών  ή περιοχών  θα µπορούσε  να άρει τις αιτίες  
της διαρροής  εγκεφάλων . Σε κάθε  περίπτωση , ο συγκεκρι µένος συνδυασ µός µέτρων  θα 
εξαρτιόταν  από προηγού µενη αξιολόγηση  των προβλη µάτων  και των ειδικών  αναγκών  της 
χώρας  ή της περιοχής . Τα µέτρα αυτά  θα έπρεπε  να περιλα µβάνουν  ενίσχυση  για τη 
δηµιουργία  εταιρικών  σχέσεων  µεταξύ  των επιστη µονικών  ή πανεπιστη µιακών  ιδρυµάτων  
των αναπτυσσό µενων  χωρών  και της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης , ενόψει  της οργάνωσης  κοινών  
ερευνητικών  δραστηριοτήτων . 
Θα µπορούσαν  να υπάρξουν  και άλλες  µορφές  εταιρικών  σχέσεων  µεταξύ  των ερευνητικών  
ιδρυµάτων , των πανεπιστη µίων, των νοσοκο µείων ή άλλων  οργανισ µών των 
αναπτυσσό µενων  χωρών  και των κρατών  µελών  της ΕΕ, µε στόχο  τη µείωση  της διαρροής  
εγκεφάλων , προβλέποντας  ιδίως  "συστή µατα οργάνωσης  κοινής  εργασίας ", στα οποία  οι 
επιστή µονες, οι ερευνητές , οι ιατροί , οι τεχνικοί  ή άλλοι  επαγγελ µατίες  των αναπτυσσό µενων  
 
EL 11   EL χωρών  θα µοίραζαν  την εργασία  τους µεταξύ  ενός ιδρύµατος της χώρας  προέλευσής  τους 
(πανεπιστή µιο, νοσοκο µείο, ερευνητικό  κέντρο  κλπ.) και ενός ιδρύµατος-εταίρου  σε ένα 
κράτος  µέλος της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης . Η δυνατότητα  παροχής  κοινοτικής  στήριξης  σε 
τέτοιου  είδους  συστή µατα θα µπορούσε  να αξιολογηθεί  ιδίως  βάσει  του 7ου προγρά µµατος 
πλαισίου  έρευνας  και ανάπτυξης . 
Συνεργασία  στην  ανάπτυξη  ως πηγή  απασχόλησης  για τους  εξειδικευ µένους  
εργαζο µένους  στις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  
Η Επιτροπή  θεωρεί  ότι οι χορηγοί  βοήθειας , στο πλαίσιο  του ΟΟΣΑ /ΕΑΒ  θα µπορούσαν  να 
επανεξετάσουν  επωφελώς  τους επιχειρησιακούς  µηχανισ µούς των προγρα µµάτων  τεχνικής  
συνδρο µής τους µε τον ειδικό  στόχο  να καθοριστεί  αν θα ήταν  δυνατό  να δοθούν  
περισσότερα  κίνητρα  για την απασχόληση  εξειδικευ µένων  εργαζο µένων  που προέρχονται  
από αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες , µέσω των εκτελεστικών  οργάνων . 
∆ιευκρινίσεις  σχετικά  µε τις εν λόγω  πρωτοβουλίες  και συστάσεις  περιλα µβάνονται  στο 
παράρτη µα 6. 
3. Παρακολούθηση  της παρούσας  ανακοίνωσης  
Στην  παρούσα  ανακοίνωση  και τα παραρτή µατά της, η Επιτροπή  παρουσιάζει  πολυάριθ µες 
συγκεκρι µένες κατευθύνσεις  ώστε  η Ευρωπαϊκή  Ένωση  να συµβάλει  σε πραγ µατικές  
προόδους  σχετικά  µε ορισµένα θέµατα τα οποία  συνδέονται  µε τη σχέση  µεταξύ  
µετανάστευσης  και ανάπτυξης . Ενώ ορισµένες από τις υποδείξεις  αυτές  είναι  συνολικά  
έτοιµες για να πραγ µατοποιηθούν  ή µπορούν  να αποτελέσουν  αντικεί µενο σχεδίων  που 
δύνανται  να τύχουν  κοινοτικής  χρηµατοδότησης , για παράδειγ µα στο πλαίσιο  του 
προγρά µµατος Aeneas9, που θα εξακολουθεί  να υπάρχει  και µετά τη λήξη  των ισχυουσών  
δηµοσιονο µικών  προοπτικών  ως ένα από τα θεµατικά  προγρά µµατα κοινοτικής  συνδρο µής σε 
τρίτες  χώρες10 – άλλες  υποδείξεις  θα απαιτήσουν  νέες συζητήσεις  και αναλύσεις . Σε 
ορισµένους  τοµείς, αρµοδιότητα  για την εφαρ µογή των υποδείξεων  αυτών  έχουν  τα κράτη  
µέλη. Η υλοποίηση  των ιδεών  αυτών  περιλα µβάνει  εξάλλου  έναν σε βάθος  διάλογο  µε τις 
ενδιαφερό µενες χώρες  ή περιοχές  προέλευσης . 
Κατά  τη γνώµη της Επιτροπής , η παρακολούθηση  της παρούσας  ανακοίνωσης  θα έπρεπε  να 
περιλα µβάνει  τα ακόλουθα  στοιχεία : 
• Το Συµβούλιο  θα πρέπει  να προβεί  σε λεπτο µερή εξέταση  της παρούσας  ανακοίνωσης  
ενόψει  της συντονισ µένης εφαρ µογής των πρωτοβουλιών  και των συστάσεων  που 
περιέχει · 
• Στη βάση  αυτή , θα έπρεπε  να πραγ µατοποιηθεί  ένας πολυτο µεακός  διάλογος  µεταξύ  της 
Επιτροπής  και των κρατών  µελών  σχετικά  µε τα θέµατα που καλύπτονται  από την 
                                                 
9 Κανονισ µός (EΚ) αριθ. 491/2004 του Ευρωπαϊκού  Κοινοβουλίου  και του Συµβουλίου , της 10.3.2004, 
για τη θέσπιση  προγρά µµατος χρηµατοδοτικής  και τεχνικής  βοήθειας  προς  τρίτες  χώρες  στους  τοµείς 
της µετανάστευσης  και του ασύλου  (AENEAS) ( ΕΕ αριθ. L 80, της 18.3.2004, σ.1). Βλέπε  επίσης  
παράρτη µα 1. 
10 Ανακοίνωση  της Επιτροπής  προς  το Συµβούλιο  και το Ευρωπαϊκό  Κοινοβούλιο  «Εξωτερικές  δράσεις  
µέσω θεµατικών  προγρα µµάτων  βάσει  των µελλοντικών  δηµοσιονο µικών  προοπτικών  2007-2013» 
(COM(2005) 324 της 3.8.2005). 
 
EL 12   EL ανακοίνωση . Θα έπρεπε  να αφορά  ιδίως  την ενίσχυση  του συντονισ µού των πολιτικών  των 
κρατών  µελών  µεταξύ  τους και µε τις κοινοτικές  πολιτικές · 
• Θα έπρεπε  επίσης  να ενισχυθεί  ο διάλογος  που βασίζεται  στις εταιρικές  σχέσεις  µεταξύ  
των τρίτων  ενδιαφερο µένων  αναπτυσσό µενων  χωρών  και των περιφερειακών  τους 
οργανώσεων , στο πλαίσιο  των υπαρχόντων  θεσµικών  υποδο µών και µηχανισ µών. Θα 
µπορούσε  να επικεντρωθεί  στην  ενίσχυση  προς  τις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες  που επιθυ µούν 
να αξιολογήσουν  την κατάστασή  τους στον  τοµέα της µετανάστευσης  σε εθνικό  ή 
περιφερειακό  επίπεδο  και στις ανάγκες  και τα προβλή µατα που απορρέουν  από αυτή  και 
να συµβάλει  στη διατύπωση  ορισµένων  ενδεχό µενων  κατάλληλων  απαντήσεων . 
Ενδεχο µένως , τα ζητήµατα αυτά  θα πρέπει  να περιληφθούν  στα αντίστοιχα  στρατηγικά  
έγγραφα . Τα χαρακτηριστικά  της µετανάστευσης  (βλ. παράρτη µα 8) θα αποτελούσαν  
αξιόπιστο  µέσο για την υποστήριξη  του διαλόγου  αυτού  και της εν λόγω  συνεργασίας · 
• Ενίσχυση  της συνεργασίας  της Επιτροπής  µε τις ενδιαφερό µενες διεθνείς  οργανώσεις · 
• Ανταλλαγές  µε τα λοιπά  εµπλεκό µενα µέρη, ιδίως  τις ΜΚΟ , τους κοινωνικούς  εταίρους  
και την κοινωνία  των πολιτών , µε έµφαση  στις οργανώσεις  που αντιπροσωπεύουν  τις 
κοινότητες  της διασποράς . 
Οι πλευρές  αυτές  περιγράφονται  λεπτο µερώς  στο παράρτη µα 7. 
Η εφαρ µογή των κατευθύνσεων  που περιέχονται  στην  παρούσα  ανακοίνωση  θα 
χρησι µοποιήσει  το πλαίσιο  των ήδη υπαρχόντων  οικονο µικών  πόρων  και µέσων  ή εκείνων  
που θα τους αντικαταστήσουν  στο πλαίσιο  των µελλοντικών  δηµοσιονο µικών  πολιτικών . 
4. Συµπεράσ µατα 
Η παρούσα  ανακοίνωση  εξέτασε  ορισµένες πρακτικές  πλευρές  των µεταναστεύσεων  και τον 
τρόπο  µε τον οποίο  οι µεταναστεύσεις  αυτές  θα µπορούσαν  να συµβάλλουν  στη διαδικασία  
ανάπτυξης  στις χώρες  προέλευσης , προσδίδοντας  ιδιαίτερη  προσοχή  στις µεταναστεύσεις  
Νότου /Βορρά . Ορισ µένες από τις πρωτοβουλίες  ή συστάσεις  που περιέχονται  στην  παρούσα  
ανακοίνωση  µπορούν  επίσης  να εφαρ µοστούν  στις µεταναστεύσεις  Νότου /Νότου . Πάντως , 
αυτές  οι τελευταίες , που αντιπροσωπεύουν  ένα όλο και σηµαντικότερο  φαινό µενο στις 
αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες , έχουν  ιδιαίτερες  επιπτώσεις  στην  οικονο µική, κοινωνική , πολιτική  
ακόµη και περιβαλλοντική  κατάσταση  των χωρών  αυτών . Κατά  συνέπεια , η Επιτροπή  
προβλέπει  έναν προβλη µατισµό σε βάθος  σχετικά  µε τα ζητήµατα αυτά  στο εγγύς  µέλλον . Η 
παρούσα  ανακοίνωση  δεν εξέτασε  τα θέµατα που συνδέονται  ειδικά  µε τους πρόσφυγες . 
Τέλος , δεν αξιολόγησε  τις σφαιρικότερες  επιπτώσεις  της πολιτικής  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης  
στον  τοµέα της µετανάστευσης  στις αναπτυσσό µενες χώρες , ούτε το ζήτηµα της ένταξης  των 
θεµάτων  ανάπτυξης  στην  πολιτική  αυτή . Τα δύο αυτά  θέµατα θα συνεχίσουν  να 
περιλα µβάνονται  στην  ατζέντα  για την κοινωνική  πολιτική  της Επιτροπής11. 
                                                 
11 Η Επιτροπή  προσέφερε  ήδη συνεισφορά  στη συζήτηση  σχετικά  µε την αντιµετώπιση  των κρίσεων  που 
αφορούν  τους πρόσφυγες  στον  αναπτυσσό µενο κόσµο µε την ανακοίνωσή  της για τα προγρά µµατα 
Περιφερειακής  Προστασίας  (COM(2005) 388), που εκδόθηκε  συγχρόνως  µε την παρούσα  ανακοίνωση . 
 
EL 13   EL Με την παρούσα  ανακοίνωση , η Επιτροπή  ελπίζει  να προσφέρει  µία πρώτη  συνεισφορά  στην  
παγκόσ µια συζήτηση  σχετικά  µε τις σχέσεις  µεταξύ  µετανάστευσης  και ανάπτυξης , ιδίως  
ενόψει  της προοπτικής  του διαλόγου  υψηλού  επιπέδου  που θα διεξαχθεί  το 2006 στο πλαίσιο  
της Γενικής  Συνέλευσης  των Ηνωµένων  Εθνών . Η πολιτική  που παρουσιάστηκε  στην  
παρούσα  ανακοίνωση , που εκπονήθηκε  και εφαρ µόστηκε  σε στενή  συνεργασία  µε τις χώρες  
προέλευσης  και διαµετακό µισης και προσαρ µόστηκε  στις ανάγκες  τους, θα συµβάλει  στην  
ανάπτυξη  της συνοχής  της εξωτερικής  διάστασης  της πολιτικής  της Ευρωπαϊκής  Ένωσης  µε 
την αναπτυξιακή  πολιτική . 
 
EL 14   EL ANNEX 1: 
STEPS FORWARD AT EU LEVEL SINCE 2002 
1. Legislative or regulatory reforms  
Directive 2004/114/EC on the admission to the EU of third country nationals for the purposes 
of studies, pupil exchange, unremunerated trai ning, or voluntary service, was adopted on 13 
December 20041. This Directive lays down common conditions and rules for the admission of 
third-country students, thus facilitating entr y and residence, without , however, containing a 
right to entry. It is left to Member States’ di scretion whether to apply the Directive to other 
categories of persons, such as school pupi ls, unremunerated trainees and people doing 
voluntary service in the EU. Member States must transpose the Directive by 12 January 2007. 
Furthermore, a Directive on a specific proced ure for admitting third-country nationals for 
purposes of scientific research2 is expected to be adopted  by summer 2005. This procedure 
shall both speed up and ease the admission of re searchers from third c ountries into the EU. 
In addition, the recent Green Paper on economic migration3 has triggered a debate on what 
rules should apply to the admission of migrants for economic purposes. It should lead to new 
Community initiatives in this field, which the Commission will set out in an Action Plan to be 
published before the end of 2005 (cf. point 1 of Annex 5).  
2. Facilitating return migration  
According to the Return Action Programme,  approved by the Council on 28 November 2002, 
country-specific return programmes should be designed. The aim of such programmes should 
be to ensure effective and timely return. Furt hermore, the question of creating sustainable 
solutions as a means to tackle root causes for illegal immigration should be considered.  
Return, either temporary or permanent, can br ing back human, financia l, economic and social 
capital to developing countries. Return progra mmes should therefore explicitly take this 
dimension into account. Such was the case of th e Afghanistan Return Plan, the first country-
specific return programme adopted  by the Council. Moreover, th anks to the financial support 
of the European Union, over 150 highly qualifie d and skilled Afghans have returned from 
Member States to their country of origin in  order to support capacity building for relevant 
Ministries and overall reconstr uction efforts. The Afghanistan experience demonstrated that 
return of nationals can give an important boost to reconstruc tion and development efforts. 
Ensuring a good matching between the needs of  the developing country and the skills 
available can be an important f actor in making returns successful. 
The experience gained from the Afghanistan return programme will be used in the planning of 
similar future country-specific return programmes. Those progra mmes will also benefit from 
Community funding within the framework of prep aratory actions for a financial instrument 
for return management in 2005/2006 and from th e future European Return Fund for the period 
                                                 
1 Council Directive 2004/114/EC - OJ L 375, 23.12.2004, p. 12. 
2 Part of the package presented under COM(2004) 178, 16.3.2004. 
3 COM(2004) 811, 11.1.2005. 
 
EL 15   EL 2008-2013 as part of the General programme ‘S olidarity and Manage ment of Migration 
Flows’4. 
3. Provision of assistance to pilot projects in  the area of migration with an impact 
on development   
Since 2001, the Community has provided financia l support, within the framework of the now 
discontinued budget line B7-667, to  various preparatory actions for cooperation with third 
counties in the area of migrati on and asylum. A number of thes e preparatory actions seek to 
maximise the impact of migration on the developm ent of countries of or igin of migrants, by 
facilitating and enhancing the va rious types of contribution – fi nancial contributions, but also 
skills or other forms of know-how – which migrants can make to these countries.  
For instance, several projects seek  to facilitate the involvement  of migrants residing in EU 
Member States in development-fr iendly activities in their countries of origin, usually with a 
view to helping them set up or participate in small scale entrepreneurial activities there. In 
several of these projects  migrants’ organisations in EU Memb er States play an important role 
in mobilising and supporting potentially interest ed migrants. Some projects are oriented 
toward the permanent return of interested migrants to their country of origin while others are not. Some of these projects also include a component for making it easier for SMEs in 
countries of origin of migrants to reach out to  markets in the EU. Other projects worth noting 
include an initiative for developing alternativ e, inexpensive remittance channels based on new 
technology (debit cards and use of automatic telle r machines – ATMs); a project for assisting 
countries in the Mediterranean  area and Africa to develop mechanisms for encouraging 
development-friendly forms of labour migration; and two projects for faci litating the return of 
Afghan nationals to their coun try for contributing to the r econstruction effort. The vast 
majority of these projects are still underway, an d it is therefore too early to draw definitive 
conclusions. An independent evaluation of budget  line B7-667 will be carried out; its results 
will certainly help to identify the activities that this type of in strument can usefully support.  
On the basis of these three year s of preparatory actions, the Ae neas programme, for technical 
and financial assistance to third countries in the areas of asyl um and migration, was 
established in March 2004 (for the period 2004-2008 with a total budget of € 250 million). 
This programme aims to support third countries’ efforts in bette r managing migratory flows in 
all their dimensions (legal and illegal migrat ion, readmission and reintegration of migrants, 
trafficking in human beings, international protect ion of refugees and displaced persons). It is 
intended to be applicable to any third country of interest for the Community. In particular, 
article 2.2 provides indications on the types of actions that coul d be undertaken  in order to 
foster closer linkages between  migration and development: 
• development of actions aimed at maintaining links between local communities in the 
country of origin and their legal emigrants a nd facilitating the contribution of migrants to 
the social and economic development of commun ities in their country of origin, including 
facilitating the use of remittances for produc tive investments and development initiatives, 
as well as providing support to micro-credit programmes; 
                                                
 
4 Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament establishing a 
framework programme on Solidarity and Management of Migration flows for the period 2007-2013 - 
COM(2005) 123, 6.4.2005). 
 
EL 16   EL • facilitation of dialogue and exch ange of information between th e institutions of the third 
country and the nationals of that c ountry who are considering emigrating; 
• support for targeted socio-economic reintegration of returnees into thei r country of origin, 
including training and capacity-building aimed at facilitating their integration into the 
labour market. 
The first call for proposals (2004) was closed on 30 March 2005 and allowed the submission 
of 83 projects.  
4. Mainstreaming migration into develo pment policy and a ssistance to third 
countries   
Since the 2002 Communication, significant steps have been taken to mainstream migration 
issues into development policy and Community a ssistance to third countries. In many cases 
this can contribute to improving the impact of migration on development. 
A dialogue on migration issues, also touching sometimes on de velopment aspects, has been 
going on with a number of third countries in th e EU’s neighbourhood, in the framework of the 
relevant bodies and in a spirit of partnership. Migration is also increasingly part of the 
dialogue between the EU and ACP countries, both in a bilateral and regi onal context. In this 
context, all Country Strategy Papers, which constitute the framework under which Community assistance to its developing country  partners is programmed, were reviewed to 
assess whether there was a case for addressing  migration issues. Although the dialogue on 
migration issues has just started with some co untries, it has already contributed to a better 
understanding of the migration and developm ent dimension and allowed a number of 
developing countries to highlight issues such as the mobilisation of diaspor as as priorities that 
should be the focus of Community assistance in the future.  
 
EL 17   EL ANNEX 2: 
INITIATIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOSTERING CHEAP , FAST AND SECURE 
WAYS TO TRANSFER REMITTANCES  
Over the past few years, the cost of sending remittances over a number of corridors5 has come 
down significantly in some parts of the world. For example, in Latin America, according to 
the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), av erage costs have almo st halved from around 
15 % at the end the 1990s to 7.9 % by February 2004. Still, such rates cannot be called cheap. 
In addition, progress is far from uniform and the high cost of remitting – especially if compared with the cost for intra-Euro zone tr ansfers – certainly remains an obstacle to higher 
remittance flows through formal channels. The effo rts the EU will make in this area are in line 
with the commitments taken by the G8 at th e Sea Island Summit in June 2004 to ensure a 
decrease in the cost of remittances
6.  
The Commission believes that action is needed in the five areas that are addressed in this 
annex7. Moreover, as financial institutions are key actors in the area of remittances, the 
Commission will propose to the European organisa tions representing this sector to discuss 
various aspects relating to remittances, in th e context of the on-going dialogue within the 
framework of the European Payments Council.  
1. Improving available data on remittance flows and services 
Policy on remittances needs to be based on accurate data. Unfortunately, this is at present 
rarely available. Remittance flows through informal channels8 are almost never covered, and 
there are indications that form al flows are often grossly unde r-estimated. In addition, most 
Member States do not provide a breakdown of remittance flows by receiving country. 
Improved data would need to cover informal fl ows, to address the unde restimation of formal 
flows9, and to provide a detailed breakdown of b ilateral flows. Finally, the development of 
specific studies, such as l ongitudinal surveys, and ensu ring more comparability of 
international statistics would allow the development of policies that are better targeted and 
adapted to the situation. More information is also needed about the ways in which money is 
being transferred and the reasons for doing s o. Household surveys could be an important 
instrument in providing that knowledge10. Initiatives in this area are already being prepared 
                                                 
5 The notion of ‘corridor’ refers to pairs of countr ies – a country that is the source of remittances and 
another country which receives them. 
6 ‘Reduce the cost of remittance services through the promotion of competition, the use of innovative 
payment instruments, and by enhancing access to fo rmal financial systems in sending and receiving 
countries. In some cases, remittance costs between sending and receiving countries have been reduced 
by up to 50 % or more. G8 countries believe that si milar reductions of high costs could be realised in 
the case of other countries’. 
7 In development terms it would make sense to apply a ll improvements in the transfer of remittances to 
all other retail financial flows from developed countri es to developing countries, not only to those flows 
involving migrants. 
8 i.e. those channels whose flows are not officially  recorded, either because the money is transferred 
physically by the migrant him/herself or by another person he or she has entrusted with this task, or 
because they are performed by money transfer operat ors that are not officially  registered. On certain 
corridors, it is estimated that informal flows exceed  formal ones in volume. 
9 In particular by including transfers by workers residing in a country for less than one year. 
10 In compliance with relevant EC legislation on personal data protection in cases where such data would 
need to be included in the surveys.  
 
EL 18   EL with regard to remittance flows from the EU  to Latin America, as a follow-up to the 
Conclusions of the Guadalajara Summit. Work in this area shoul d be co-ordinated with other 
institutions and international organisations active in this field11. In addition, it would also be 
useful to know more about the various types of  use of remittances in countries of origin 
(consumption, investment or savings, and, in the latter case, the type of  savings vehicles) and 
the respective share of the various economic ac tivities for which remittances are used, in the 
case of investment. 
Collecting and publishing better da ta has at least two functions: firstly, it helps policy-makers 
to take informed decisions; secondly, data on flows in particular remittance corridors can act 
as a wake-up call to the financial industry that there are business opportunities out there. The 
experiences of Turkish banks in Germany, Greek  banks in countries of Greek emigration or, 
more recently, Spanish banks vis-à-vis the La tin American communities residing in Spain 
show that banking institutions, once aware of th e potential market represented by remittances, 
can become quite competitive actors in th ese markets, thus fostering competition. 
In the framework of the Inter-Agency Task Force on International Trade in services, the UN-
Technical Subgroup on Movement of Natural Pe rsons will carry out work on developing a 
new definition of remittances within the balan ce of payments framework, and on developing a 
statistical framework for the measurement of the economic impact of the movement of persons. The Technical Subgroup recommends  changing the definition of “workers´ 
remittances” to a broader concept of personal transfers, which includes all household to household transfers.  
Official data on remittance flows is patchy, of ten of mediocre quality and does not reflect 
alternative remittance channels. The Commission will launch initiatives to improve the 
collection of data to better unde rstand the size of migrant remitta nce flows. In particular, it 
will raise with Member States the possibility of reporting on remittance data by destination.  
In collaboration with institutions such as the World Bank, it will also promote household 
surveys which are able to capture informal re mittance channels, focusing on selected bilateral 
“remittance corridors”.  
In addition, it will launch studies  to gather better information on the remittance industry, its 
cost structures, possible indicators of a lack  of competition and technical inefficiencies.  
Such studies could shed light on possible ways to improve competition and realise efficiency 
gains. They should include the identification of main channels by de stination (different 
channels are relevant for differe nt countries of origin), as we ll as of the cost of a typical 
remittance through the different relevant channels and analyses of the cost structure of remittance providers and their margins . 
                                                
 
11 As far as the Mediterranean region is conc erned, the EIB-managed FEMIP (Facility for Euro-
Mediterranean Investment and Part nership) has recently launched a st udy on workers’ remittances in 
eight Mediterranean Partner Countries. Its purpose is to identify the constraints of sending funds to 
Mediterranean countries, to provide innovative solutions to facilitate these flows and mobilize 
additional savings, as well as to promote their impact  on economic development in recipient countries.  
 
EL 19   EL 2. Increasing transparency 
A relatively simple but potentially forceful m easure to increase competition is to make the 
information on the costs and other conditions – in cluding the exchange rates used – that apply 
to each remittance channel more widely available to the public. Increasing the transparency of 
the remittance market will enable potential re mitters to make better informed choices. A 
number of Member States have taken active st eps to improve transparency in the remittance 
market12. 
The Commission is planning to adopt a proposal  for a Directive on payment services which 
will increase competition and enhance transparency by requiring payment service providers to 
make charges (including exchange rate c onversions) and other conditions (e.g. execution 
times) fully transparent to customers. It will also  require Member States to establish a register 
of all authorised payment inst itutions (including money transfer  operators), to be updated on a 
regular basis and publicly available for consultation, in par ticular online.  
The Commission also calls on Member States to  encourage initiatives aimed at providing any 
additional and relevant information to migrants and will foster a dialogue amongst Member 
States with a view to identifying best practices in this field.  
It will also give considerati on to supporting the setting-up of a Europe-wide website providing 
information on the cost and conditions applying to the various remittance channels, including 
conventional ones. 
Such initiatives will make it easier for potential clients to compare the various options 
available. In addition to benefiting migrants , they would allow comparisons across Member 
States and help reveal limited compet ition or other market inefficiencies. 
The Commission also supports joint efforts by the Committee on Payment and Settlement 
Systems of the Bank for International Settlem ents (BIS) and the World Bank to define 
remittance principles. Applied by money transfer operators on a voluntary basis, they would 
make it easier for remittance senders to understa nd what service they can expect for their 
money. 
Pre-departure information initiatives in countrie s of origin, as provid ed for example in the 
Philippines, could also contribute to more transparency. 
3. Improving the legal fram ework for remittances  
* On the EU side , Article 56 of the EC Treaty already facilitates remittance flows by 
providing for freedom of capital movements betw een the EU and third countries. However, it 
is also necessary to ensure that no dispropor tionate requirement is placed on money transfer 
operators (MTOs). Whereas some countries on ly impose light registration requirements on 
MTOs, others operate licensing systems and so me even impose the same requirements as on 
banking institutions, a step that does not appear ju stified in terms of prudential risk, since the 
money transfer business typically does not i nvolve any lending. A lighter hand in regulating 
would allow a number of presently informal MTOs to be appropri ately regulated, thus 
                                                 
12 For example the United Kingdom has sponsored a remittance product survey covering six countries of 
origin of migrants (‘Sending money home? A survey of remittances products and services in the United 
Kingdom’). Some information on this initiative is available on www.sendmoneyhome.org. 
 
EL 20   EL retaining their advantages in terms of cost, speed and reliab ility while addressing public 
authorities’ legitimate security concerns. This would help foster competition on the market for 
formal remittance services. 
Even within the EU with its largely integrated financial markets, the regulation of remittance 
services varies substantially fr om one country to another. Th e Commission plans to foster the 
creation of a level playing fi eld with harmonised licensing pr ovisions throughout the Union. 
The forthcoming proposal for a Directive on paymen t services will ensure that money transfer 
operators are subject to appropriate regulat ory requirements, harmonised throughout the EU 
and adapted to their specific risk profile.  
Whilst ensuring that MTOs are subject to anti- money laundering/terroris t financing measures, 
this regulatory regime will establish a level play ing field for the provision of payment services 
in the internal market and thus foster competition. The Commission has extensively consulted all stakeholders in preparing the draft Directive. 
In addition, the Commission will support an ex change of information on market initiatives 
aimed at lowering the cost of remittance flows. 
More generally, other steps that increase comp etition and encourage new entrants into the 
remittance market are highly beneficial. For example, exclusive agreements that tie up 
existing large-scale retail networks – such as national post offices – to a given MTO should be 
reconsidered, as they unduly limit competition. 
* On the side of recipient countries , a number of regulations can act  in a direct or indirect way 
as obstacles to remittance flows. For example taxes on remittance flows will reduce the amount of formal remittances; re strictions on capital movements or dual exchange rates will 
also favour informal channels of remittance transfer; and insufficient competition in the 
banking sector can be a contributory factor in making remittance payments expensive. 
The Commission is willing to di scuss with interested developi ng countries ways to overcome 
obstacles to remittance flows and to consider, where appropriate, whether specific technical 
assistance to improve their financial and economi c infrastructure could be made available by 
the Community in the framework of its progra mmes, as well as by the European Investment 
Bank.  
The Commission will also conti nue to coordinate efforts with those Member States that 
provide similar types of assi stance to developing countries. 
4. Improving the technical framework for remittances  
A first issue in this respect is the potential for creating links between EU payment systems 
and those of developing countries which are th e source of significant migration flows to the 
EU. This could draw on the experience acqui red by the EU in setting-up a Pan European 
Automated Clearing House for retail payments  for the introduction of  the euro. There is 
already a precedent in this area, with the establishment of an automated clearing house 
between the United States and Mexico. Some EU Member States are currently looking at the 
feasibility of similar schemes, and the Commi ssion wishes to take part in such efforts. 
The proposal for a Directive on payment services  (see above), by suppo rting the creation of 
EU-wide infrastructure for the provision of payment services, will in itself make it easier to 
 
EL 21   EL reach the critical mass that might make it profit able to link EU payment systems with those of 
third countries. 
In addition, a number of schemes involvi ng the use of state of the art technology13 are 
currently being developed. The Commission believe s that such systems can offer a potential, 
even though illiteracy and tech nological shortfalls could limit their relevance in some 
developing countries. 
The Commission will, in the light of market developments and with the involvement of 
private operators, further consid er the possibility of providing, within the framework of the 
Aeneas programme, financial s upport to pilot project s fostering the use of new technologies 
with a view to providing cheap, easily availabl e competitive remittance services that open up 
economic opportunities in developing countries.   
5. Improving access to banking/financial services 
In sending countries , apart from transparency (see poi nt 2. above), the main issue is 
facilitating the access of migrants to banking se rvices. Better information about remittance 
flows may increase financial institutions’ inte rest for migrants as potentially interesting 
customers. Several Spanish banks have taken si gnificant steps to attract migrants, for example 
by opening off-hours banking faciliti es and hiring staff from the main migrant communities. 
But public authorities can have a role to play in facilitating this change of mindset, as was indeed the case in Spain. Measures to improve  the financial inclusion of migrants should be 
inspired by good practice in the EU and beyond. 
In recipient countries
, insufficient access of the rural population and the poor to banking 
services often remains a critical  issue, as banking networks ra rely extend be yond large cities. 
Solutions include partnerships between ‘mainstream’ banking in stitutions and t hose networks 
that are present in rural areas, i.e. micro-financ e institutions or post offi ces. Already effective 
or planned partnerships such as those betw een Spanish financial institutions and Latin 
American micro-finance institutions or between French and African institutions seem to point 
to the way forward. At the same time, recipien t countries should look at regulatory obstacles 
that often make it difficult or impossible for micro-finance institutions to team up with 
mainstream institutions, including those that pr event the emergence of real competition in the 
banking sector.  
The Commission will raise the issue of the acce ss of migrants to financial services in its 
contacts with relevant stakehol ders. It is also ready to cons ider – in partnership with the 
countries concerned – initiatives aimed at im proving access to banking a nd financial services 
in developing countries, with a focus on the po ssible role of micro-fi nance institutions., as 
well as appropriate accompanying measures  (information activities, etc.).  
                                                 
13 In particular money transfers involving credit or debit cards and allowing unbanked beneficiaries to 
withdraw the transferred money from ATMs. Other novel systems are based on mobile phone 
technology. 
 
EL 22   EL ANNEX 3: 
INITIATIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FACILITATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF 
REMITTANCES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIGRANTS ’ COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN  
The discussion of this issue raises an important caveat. Whereas remittances do constitute 
very important financial flows to developing countries, they have a specific characteristic 
when compared with other types of flow: they are private  money.  
The Commission believes that respecting the pr ivate nature of remittances must be the 
overarching principle underlying Community polic y in this area. The objective in this area 
should therefore be to open oppor tunities for migrants who wi sh to use part of their 
remittances for any form of investment supporting development. 
In addition, remittance flows are influenced by  a number of factors on which policy makers 
have little influence. For example, the com position of migration will matter as much as its 
size for determining the size of remittance flows. Migrants remit money to those who are close to them, usually members of their fam ily who stayed behind. This is why family 
reunion, for instance , tends to lead to a reduction in the volume of  remittances from the EU to 
Turkey and North Africa. Looking ahead, the reti rement of the first generation of migrants 
will also affect remittance flows to the Me diterranean region. Another example of the 
importance of the composition of migration flow s relates to the fact that highly skilled 
migrants tend to send a smaller proportion of  their income home. Therefore, selective 
immigration schemes can also affect remittance flows.  
This being said, there are a number of ways in which a policy mix, which should be country 
specific, can support such objectives. In this respect , specific attention needs to be paid to so-
called collective remittances, i.e. the transf ers that migrants make collectively for 
philanthropic purposes via their or ganisations in the country of  residence, also known as 
Hometown Associations (HTAs). 
The Commission believes that action can be  considered in the following four areas: 
1. Improving the investment climat e and fostering good governance  
There is significant evidence that no incentive system will be as effective in persuading 
migrants – as indeed any other investor – to invest part of their remittances in business activities in their home country as a sound i nvestment climate. This entails simplified 
business procedures, a transparent bureaucracy, a functioning judicial system that guarantees 
the rule of law and property rights, absence of corruption as well as a sound macro-economic 
framework and good quality infrastructure. All these factors also impact on brain drain, return 
and retention, three issu es that are discussed in other pa rts of this Communication. Promoting 
these and other aspects of good governance is  above all a responsibility for developing 
countries themselves, but donors can and should  play a supportive role . The approach the 
Commission proposes to follow in  these areas will be further explored in the forthcoming 
review of the EU Development Policy Statement
14. 
                                                 
14 Proposal for a joint Council/EP/Commission statement on EU Development Policy, the ‘Brussels 
Consensus’, July 2005. 
 
EL 23   EL 2. Extending financial intermediation in developing countries15 
Not all migrants are willing and/or able to beco me entrepreneurs – especi ally where, as they 
remain in their country of residence, they w ould have to manage their investment from a 
distance. However, the Commissi on believes that there are ways to make it easier for migrants 
to contribute to the development of their country of origin, while reaping fair rewards for their 
hard-earned savings. The establishment of an e fficient system of financial intermediation can 
play a key role in encouraging migrants or thei r relatives back home to entrust their savings to 
financial institutions. This could lead to a be tter allocation of resources promoting productive 
investment and therefore result in welfare ga ins for the country or region of origin. In a 
number of developing countries, especially in Africa, there is  reportedly a ‘financing gap’ 
between micro-finance loans on the one hand (typically up to a few hundred euros) and loans 
to large SMEs (from a few tens of thousand eu ros upward), with small enterprises finding it 
difficult to obtain loans in the region of a fe w thousand euros. Guarantee mechanisms could 
play a useful role in this respect. In addition, there are in some cases rules that make it difficult for micro-finance institutions to offer a full range of financial services to poor or rural people. Addressing them would make it easier to ‘bank th e unbanked’ and therefore help 
maximise the potential of remittances (for example by enabling recipients to have access to savings instruments). In addition to the assistance already bei ng provided to some developing 
countries in developing their financial service sectors, the Commission could consider further 
assistance in this area. Community assistance  in making micro-fina nce institutions more 
active in the area of remittan ces will need to take into account the ongoing work by other 
donors. 
The Commission is willing to look  – in partnership with the countries concerned and, where 
relevant, in cooperation with th e EIB – at possibilitie s to enhance financia l intermediation in 
developing countries, includi ng through facilitating partners hips between micro-finance 
institutions and mainstream  financial institutions. 
Although the EC cannot fund credit lines/r evolving funds and guarantee funds for 
microfinance operations, includi ng those involving migrants, the Commission is ready to 
consider partnerships in these areas with inte rested IFIs, including the EIB, provided that an 
upfront agreement can be reached with such institutions and unde r the condition that they take 
full responsibility for the operational implem entation of the credit line/guarantee fund.  
3. Collective remittances and co-funding schemes 
Hometown Associations (HTAs) can play an impor tant role in helping allocate part of the 
savings of individual migrants towards initiatives that either  are directed towards productive 
activities (industry, agriculture) or at least pl ay a role in improving the living conditions of 
people in communities of origin, for exampl e via the financing of small-scale local 
infrastructure (water sanitation, health infrastructure, etc.). Th ere is now significant evidence 
that, in order for such efforts to bear fruit, migrants’ organisations and the relevant local communities need to be at the origin of the pr ojects. Support from local authorities and other 
donors can however be an asset.  Co-funding to top up the effort s of migrants is sometimes 
provided by public authorities, either from the receiving country
16 or from the country of 
                                                 
15 This is closely linked to the issues addressed under point 5 of Annex 2. 
16 This type of scheme is an important component of  the co-development policy th at has been devised by 
France. In particular, programmes to support initiatives by migrants from Senegal and Mali residing in 
 
EL 24   EL origin (this is the case of the ‘tres por uno’  scheme, initiated by the State of Zacatecas and 
later emulated in other Mexican States).  
Following an evaluation of the sustainability, rele vance and effectiveness of the pilot projects 
funded under former budget line B7-667 (cf. A nnex 1), the Commission will consider the 
possibility of providing funding in the context of  the appropriate budget li nes to joint projects 
by diaspora organisations – preferably from two or more Member States – and local 
organisations interested in supporting local development.  
It also invites Member States which run simila r schemes or consider doing so to exchange 
experiences and best practices. 
4. Incentive-based policies 
Many countries of origin have developed specia l incentive schemes to en courage migrants to 
invest part of the funds they remit in savings  vehicles that are used for funding development-
friendly infrastructure or productive activities,  such as Government bonds or savings accounts 
offering privileged interest-rates. The record of  such incentive schemes is somewhat mixed, 
however, and the Commission does not wish to recommend this sort of action, given the 
variety of possible schemes. Noneth eless it is clear that  the governments of countries of origin 
of migrants should refrain from creating or main taining disincentives to such investments (i.e. 
treating them less favourably than  purely domestic investments). 
                                                                                                                                                         
France in their country of origin are underway. In Italy and Spain similar schemes – often initiated at 
regional or city level (Italy) or at the level of regional communities (Spain) – have been launched to 
support projects in various countries. In the Nether lands, migrants’ projects are supported via the so-
called ‘Front Office’ facility , which is managed on behalf of the Dutch government by five co-financing 
NGOs. The Community has also provided support to such projects in the framework of budget line B7-
667 (cf. Annex 1). 
 
EL 25   EL ANNEX 4: 
INITIATIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FACILITATING THE INVOLVEMENT OF 
DIASPORAS IN HOME COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT  
As part of transnational communities linking count ries of origin and c ountries of residence, 
diasporas17 can make an important co ntribution to the development of their home countries. 
The various ways in which their possible form s of contribution – remittances, skill or know-
how transfers, etc. – can be f acilitated are addressed in the va rious sections of Chapter 2 and 
the relevant annexes. This annex, however, look s at how – if appropriate – public authorities 
can encourage diaspora members to become more involved in the development of their 
country or region of origin. 
Of course, it is up to each dias pora member to decide whether,  to what extent and in what 
form (s)he wishes to contribute to the deve lopment of his/her coun try of origin. Public 
policies in this area can only provide incentives,  facilitate and be responsive to people’s own 
initiatives.  
The Commission believes that action in this area should concentrate on the following three 
sets of issues: 
1. Helping developing countries map thei r diasporas and build  links with them  
A key difficulty that sending and receiving coun try governments are often faced with in terms 
of dealing with the diaspora is  precisely knowing the diaspora. Th ere is therefore a case for a 
policy to support the crea tion of databases of the skills av ailable in a given country’s or 
region’s diaspora abroad, where interested memb ers can register. A number of projects along 
these lines have already been launched – for ex ample a database where skilled members of the 
Senegalese diaspora abroad can register their interest in contributing to the country’s 
development and provide details of their skills – and such initiatives coul d be used as sources 
of inspiration by other countries. Another exam ple is the support provided by Italy to Egypt18 
or to Ghana and Ethiopia (via the MIDA-It aly programme, managed by the International 
Organisation for Migration), to improve their links with their respective diasporas, notably in 
Italy. 
In addition, governments in receiving countries that  would like to involve foreign diasporas in 
their work with developing countries, or to support their initiatives, are faced with the 
additional difficulty of identifying ‘the right interlocutors’ among the various organisations 
representing diasporas. France, for example,  has addressed this problem by encouraging 
diaspora organisations involved in the development of countries of  origin to pool their efforts 
within the framework of an umbrella organisation, FORIM19. Other Member States are 
                                                 
17 For the purposes of this Communication, we use a broad definition of the diaspora. The diaspora from a 
given country therefore includes not only the nationals from that country living abroad, but also 
migrants who, living abroad, have acquired the citizen ship of their country of residence (often losing 
their original citizenship in the pr ocess) and migrants’ children born abroad, whatever their citizenship, 
as long as they retain some form of commitment to and/or interest in their country of origin or that of 
their parents. In some extreme cases, such as the Chinese diaspora, people may still feel part of a 
country’s diaspora even though their family has been living in another country for several generations. 
18 Cf. the website http://www.emigration.gov.eg 
19 Forum des organisations de solidarité internationale issues des migrations. 
 
EL 26   EL moving in the same direction, for example th e Netherlands, which has set up a ‘National 
Ethnic Minorities Consultativ e Committee’ (LOM), which gr oups together seven ethnic 
minority organisations and which will in future  be consulted on important development policy 
initiatives, or Germany’s GTZ, which has take n steps to build a working relationship with 
organisations representing the diaspora. The UK is also taking steps in the same direction, 
through support to an umbrella organi sation (Connections for Development). 
The Commission will consider supporting efforts initiated by source count ries at national or 
regional level to set up databases where members of diasporas interested  in contributing to 
home countries’ development can register on a voluntary basis, and more generally to 
maintain links between these countries’ and th eir diasporas, in coordination with other donors.  
The Commission invites those Member States that do not already do so to  identify and engage 
diaspora organisations which could be suitab le and representative  interlocutors in 
development policy and/or possible initiators of de velopment projects in countries of origin. It 
would also welcome steps by the organisati ons representing diasporas involved in the 
development of countries of or igin to set up a mechanism th at could ensure appropriate 
representation of their interests at EU level, in pa rticular as far as policies of interest to these 
countries are concerned. 
2. The role of young people 
Helping young people from migrant communities main tain some form of relationship with the 
country of origin of their parents can both cont ribute to their integration – by helping avoid a 
sense of not belonging anywhere – and encour age them to maintain a commitment to the 
development of that country20, for example by encouraging them to visit it and get acquainted 
with the challenges it faces. Community policy, based on existing intra- EU experience, could 
play a role in this respect. 
In addition to already existing initiatives, notab ly by local authorities in the framework of 
twinning schemes, which should be encouraged, the Commission will assess the feasibility of 
youth exchange schemes focused in partic ular on migrant communities, based on the 
experience gathered with existing intra-EU schemes.  
3. Integration and citizenship 
Integration of migrants is much more than just  a part of a diaspora mobilisation policy; it is 
one of the central pillars of EU immigration policy, and its main features are covered in a 
number of recent policy documents21. This policy, by allowing migr ants to feel that their 
cultural identity is recognised and valued, shou ld encourage them to remain committed to 
their country of origin and those they have left behind. In addition, it is also increasingly 
being recognised that migrants ’ personal involvement in the de velopment of their country of 
origin in turn facilita tes their integration in the country of residence.  The Commission is about 
                                                 
20 Even if there is evidence that  second-generation diaspora member s have forms of commitment that 
differ from those of the first generation: skill tr ansfers or productive investment tend to replace 
remittances. 
21 In particular the Common Basic Principles adopted by the Council on 19 November 2004. In addition, 
there is Community legislation already in force on va rious important issues such as the rights of long 
term residents, family reunification, and the fight against discrimination, racism and xenophobia. A handbook on integration for policy-makers and prac titioners was also published in November 2004, and 
further efforts will be undertaken to encourage ex changes of experiences between Member States. In 
addition, a second Annual Report on Migration and Integration will soon be published. 
 
EL 27   EL to propose new orientations in the area of inte gration, by way of a Communication that will be 
adopted simultaneously w ith this Communication. 
ANNEX 5: 
INITIATIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOSTERING  
CIRCULAR MIGRATION AND BRAIN CIRCULATION  
The development of new, faster modes of tran sportation and communicat ion as well as the 
emergence of transnational communities mean that  circular migration, in which migrants tend 
to go back and forth between the source coun try and the destination country, and return 
migration will become increasingly widespread . From a development standpoint this is good 
news, as circular and return migration o ffer a significant potential for both source and 
destination countries, the migrant and his/her relatives in the c ountry of origin. Return, even 
temporary, is likely to lead to the transfer of  skills, know how and/or new cultural attitudes. 
Both circular migration and return can help mitigate the impact of brain drain. Both also 
foster brain circulation, which can be defined for the purpose of this Communication as the 
possibility for developing countries to draw  on the skills, know-how and other forms of 
experience gained by their migrants – whether th ey have returned or not – and members of 
their diaspora abroad. However, there are still obst acles to circular migration and to the return 
of migrants to their country of origin. Rem oving them would help liberate the potential of 
brain circulation for development.  
The Commission believes that action is necessary in the four following areas: 
1. Managed migration as an inst rument of brain circulation 
The Commission recently published a Green Pape r on an EU approach to managing economic 
migration22, the aim of which is to actively contri bute to the on-going debate on the most 
appropriate form of Community rule s for admitting economic migrants.  
The Green Paper stresses the need for the Community to manage migration flows in 
cooperation with countries of or igin, thereby taking into account  the challenges they face– 
including brain drain in partic ular – and their needs. It sp ecifically asks the question of 
whether preference, in terms of admission, shoul d be granted to certain third countries and 
how23. 
As a result of the comprehensive debate launched by the Green Paper, which culminated with 
a hearing organised on 14 June 2005, the Comm ission will present, by the end of 2005, a 
policy plan on legal migration. This plan will include ideas on how the joint management of 
economic migration flows between countries of origin and destinati on can contribute to 
improving the benefits of migration for th e development of countries of origin 
                                                 
22 COM(2004) 811, 11.1.2005 
23 Bilateral agreements between a country of destination and a country of origin, aimed at joint 
management of economic migration flows – as concluded by some EU Member States with a number of 
third countries – are one possible way in which such preferences can be granted. 
 
EL 28   EL 2. Maximising the potential  of temporary migration 
Temporary migration – sometimes even season al migration – is becoming an increasingly 
popular way of meeting the demand for unskilled or  relatively low skilled labour in a number 
of Member States. Whilst it is true that such  temporary migration ha s limited advantages in 
terms of skills enhancement, especially as far as low-skilled workers are concerned, its 
potential positive impact on development or at least poverty alle viation should not be 
dismissed too quickly. It can he lp relieve excess labour supply  in developing countries, and 
the remittances which workers send to their relatives often represent a significant share of families’ overall income – especially since temporary migrants tend to remit more than longer-term migrants as a pe rcentage of their income.  
Policies to maximise the developmental impact  of temporary migration, in addition to the 
general recommendations on remittances24, should focus on encourag ing circular migration, 
by giving a priority for furthe r temporary employment to work ers who have already worked 
under such schemes and have returned at the end of their contract, and also on offering 
appropriate rewards to participating migrants. Th is could for instance build on the experience 
of some Member Starts in reimbursing pensio n contributions at the end of the worker’s 
contract or include the paym ent by the country of residen ce of a top up on the worker’s 
savings. Taking into account the results of the debate on the Green Paper on economic 
migration, the Commission will also examine the possibility of defining a general framework 
for the entrance and short-term  stay within the common area of seasonal migrants. The 
Commission will continue discussions with Member  States, social partners and civil society 
on these issues.  
In addition, temporary migration linked to the cross-border provision of services is also 
starting to feature highly on the international trade policy agenda, within the framework of the 
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS – the so-called Mode 4), with a focus on 
skilled labour. However the numbers of peopl e covered by Mode 4 commitments, or taking 
advantage of them, are extremely small in comp arison with the numbers  of other temporary 
migrants or of long-term migrants. 
Whilst Mode 4 is only one form of temporary migr ation - and is essentially  an aspect of trade 
rather than migration policy – it may offer insights into the development of temporary 
migration schemes that would help both to ma ximize brain circulation in the interests of 
developing countries and contri bute to well managed migrati on through clear rules on period 
and purpose of stay. The Community is promo ting an approach to Mode 4 which adopts 
common terminology and transparent arrangem ents governing the categories of people 
covered and length of stay. This model could be  built on for the further development of Mode 
4.  
In addition, the Commission already proposed in March 2004 a Recommendation concerning 
the facilitation of issuing condi tions for uniform short stay vi sas for researchers from third 
countries travelling within the EU for the purpose of carrying out scientific research. 
                                                 
24 Cf. section 2.1. in the main text and Annexes 2 and 3. 
 
EL 29   EL 3. Facilitating return migration 
The return of migrants to thei r country of origin can have a significant positive impact in 
development terms, provided that  it is well prepared and th at the migrant is an active 
protagonist in his/her own return, with a project  – entrepreneurial for example – (s)he intends 
to carry out. While schemes to assist the return  of migrants will usually be focused on legal 
migrants, they should not necessarily be reserved  to them. The experience of the French “aide 
à la réinsertion” scheme shows that such sc hemes sometimes offer an ‘honourable way out’ to 
migrants whose migration project has failed, including some illegal migrants. 
A number of general lessons can  be drawn from the various re turn schemes that have been 
developed, notably at the le vel of EU Member States25, by the Community26 and by 
international organisations such as the Interna tional Organisation for Mi gration (IOM). A first 
lesson is that financial support is not enough to make return a success27. Advice and other 
forms of non-financial assistance, both before  and after the migrant’s return, play an 
indispensable role, especially when the migr ant – who does not necessa rily have directly 
relevant experience – intends to  start his/her own business in the country of origin. Another 
lesson is that migrants are ofte n reluctant to envisa ge a return to thei r home country unless 
they have some guarantee that they will be able  to continue to travel back and forth between 
the country of origin and the (former) country of  destination. This is obviously the case when 
the migrant plans to continue some form of business activity in his/ her former country of 
residence, but such a possibility can also play the role of an insuranc e mechanism, especially 
when the migrant – be he or she a former ref ugee or asylum seeker or not – comes from a 
country whose future stability – economic or political – remains problematic. This problem 
can be addressed, at least on a temporary basis, by granting the returnee a multi-entry visa allowing him/her to return to his/her former coun try of residence. A number of Member States 
have taken steps in this directi on. Another possibility that has sim ilar effects is to maintain the 
validity of the returning migran t’s residence permit for a certain  amount of time after his/her 
return. Such a system exists in Denmark, where,  in addition, refugees potentially willing to 
return to their count ry of origin are given th e possibility of returning temporarily to assess the 
situation and prospects before th ey make a final decision to return, and ref ugees and their 
families who return voluntarily are allowed to go back to Denmark within one year of their 
return. 
The Commission will invite Member  States and other in terested stakeholde rs to share their 
experience of the elaboration and management of assisted return pr ogrammes and of support 
of countries of origin with the successful reintegration of return migrants. Within this 
framework, it will examine relevant short-term visa policy issues.  
A number of practical steps should also be taken to facilitate th e return of migrants to their 
country of origin: 
                                                 
25 An interesting example is the scheme run by the ‘Gothenburg Initiative’ (Göteborg Initiativet), an NGO 
supported by the City of Gothenburg and the Swedish authorities, which has devised a scheme whereby 
willing refugees, notably from Bosnia and Herzegovi na and Somalia, living in Gothenburg are being 
supported in developing self-employing business activities upon returning to their country of origin.  
26 Especially the Afghanistan return scheme (cf. point 2 of Annex 1). 
27 In addition, exclusively financial support might attr act purely opportunistic applicants with no serious 
interest in developing and implementing a personal project for a successful return. 
 
EL 30   EL • Member States should ensure that the pensions  obtained in a migrant’s former country of 
residence can be paid to him/he r in the country of origin afte r his/her return; or that the 
contributions made by a migrant and by his/he r employers into public pension schemes can 
be paid back to him/her as a lump sum upon his/ her return to the country  of origin in cases 
where the total amounts paid are not e nough to entitle him/her to a pension. 
• Steps should be taken to ensure that a migr ant’s education and qualif ications received in 
the country of destina tion can be easily recogn ised by authorities in the country of origin, 
as this will facilitate his/her pr ofessional integration upon returning28. 
• Member States could offer the possibility for financial institutions to open up special 
savings accounts accessible to migrants intending to return to their home country at the end 
of their work experience. These products coul d benefit from a favourable tax treatment, 
and the Member State of reside nce could also grant an intere st rate subsidy and/or a bonus 
at the time of return. 
• As far as researchers and other skilled professionals are concerned, it is essential that they 
can, upon return, continue to have exchanges with their fo rmer colleagues. Fellowships for 
returning researchers an d instruments such as web portals to allow continuous  interactions 
within trans-national research communitie s are among the instruments that will be 
supported under the 7th Framework Programme on R&D29. 
The Commission will look at the possibility of proposing measur es in areas such as the 
transferability of pension rights,  the recognition of qualifications or mechanisms to ensure that 
researchers or other professionals who have work ed in the EU can keep in touch with their 
former colleagues to facilitat e voluntary returns and help them reintegrate successfully. 
4. Temporary or virtual return 
Migrants do not necessar ily need to return permanently to th eir country of origin to contribute 
usefully to its development. Indeed, temporar y return appears as a promising way in which 
diasporas can be mobilised in favour of countries of origin (cf. section 2.2. in the main text). Obviously, it is up to individual diaspora member s to decide whether and how they want to 
get involved. However, availa ble evidence shows that many diaspora members are already 
active, and many more would be willing to fo llow suit provided that more appropriate 
conditions were in place. This is where public policy can play an important role. 
                                                
 
28 Conversely, steps to facilitate the recognition of th e skills acquired by migrants outside of the EU, if 
feasible, could make it easier to fully use their potential and avoid the risk of ‘brain waste’. The 
development of co-operation with a number of third countries – notably the EU’s immediate neighbours 
– in the area of education could allow for some progre ss in this respect, at least as far as formal 
qualifications (diplomas) are concerned. 
29 Moreover, the Commission has already issued, as part  of the package on the admission of third country 
nationals to carry out scientific research in the European Community - COM(2004) 178, 16.3.2004 -, a draft recommendation encouraging Member States to ‘promote the international mobility of researchers 
from third countries needing to travel frequently within the European Union by issuing them with 
multiple entry visas’. In addition to ensuring brain circulation, such measures can also contribute to limiting the brain drain of scientists from developing countries (cf. section 2.4.  in the main text and 
Annex 6), by lowering the disadvantages for researchers of residing and working in developing 
countries. 
 
EL 31   EL There are several ways in which temporary retu rn can allow diaspora members to contribute 
to the development of their country or region of  origin. Short or medium term secondments of 
scientists, doctors, engineers or other qualified pr ofessionals in institutions in their countries 
of origin can enable them to share their skil ls and knowledge with t hose who have remained 
“at home”. Diaspora skills databases (see point 1 in Annex 4) can enable authorities or institutions in countries to tap into the availa ble skills potential. Inte rnational organisations 
such as IOM (with the Migration for Devel opment in Africa programme – MIDA) and UNDP 
(with the Transfer of Knowle dge through Expatriate Nationa ls scheme – TOKTEN) have 
developed significant expertise in this area, a nd the activities they manage are often supported 
financially by one or several EU Member States
30 or the Community. In this case, temporary 
return can be complemented or in some cas es replaced by “virtual return”, relying on 
electronic communications (for example, via di stance learning, a University professor in an 
EU Member State can also teach to students in a University in his/her country of origin, where 
(s)he could also be physically presen t for a couple of months each year). 
The Commission proposes to build upon existing e xperience in temporary or virtual return 
programmes and extend it, where necessary, to other parts of the developing world. It will 
also look at the possible support that could be  provided to e-learning schemes within the 
framework of Community prog rammes on information a nd communication technologies 
(ICT).   
Furthermore, initiatives will be ta ken within the framework of the 7th Framework Programme 
on Research and Development to facilitate ne tworking between foreign researchers working 
in the EU – especially those working in areas of  direct interest to developing countries – and 
research organisations in th eir countries of origin.  
The Commission will also look at how to ensure  that the residence rights in the EU of 
diaspora members who decide to  engage in such activities are not affected by temporary 
returns to countries of origin.  
Temporary return, and more generally circular migration, can also allow migrants or diaspora 
members who have succeeded in business activiti es in the EU to set up additional business 
activities – either directly connect ed or not to their main activit y in the EU – in their country 
of origin, thereby actively cont ributing to the latter’s development through innovation and job 
creation. The work conducted by the Commissi on in the area of ethnic entrepreneurship31 
shows that migrants and more ge nerally persons of foreign origin  are often likelier than other 
people to engage in entrepreneurial activities. They therefore constitute an important skills 
potential for their countries of  origin, provided that approp riate policies are implemented. 
Their knowledge of both the c ountry of origin a nd the country of residence can be an 
                                                 
30 For instance, a MIDA project for the Great Lakes region was funded by Belgium, and another project 
for Ghana was funded by the UK and the Netherlands. 
31 Following preparatory work, a Commission study on ‘Promoting Ethic Minority Entrepreneurs’ is about 
to be carried out in the framework of the Multi-an nual programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship 
2001-2005. In addition, the Commission’s Action Plan on Entrepreneurship - COM(2004) 70, presented on 11 February 2004 - foresees a key action on «Providing tailor-made support for ethnic minority 
entrepreneurs» and commits the Commission to co llaborate with national and regional authorities to 
address those areas where the needs of ethnic entrepreneurs are still in sufficiently met, namely access to 
finance and entrepreneurial networks. It foresees  that the Commission will encourage networks among 
policy-makers and seek the active involvement of representative bodies of ethnic minorities for building 
a better dialogue at EU, national and regional level.  
 
EL 32   EL important business asset, in particular for mark eting in the EU products  from the country of 
origin32 – or even the country itself as a touris t destination. Some initiatives have been 
developed with a view to facili tating the investments of such pe ople in their count ry of origin, 
for example a project – funded under EC budget lin e B7-667 – to help highly skilled members 
of the Moroccan diaspora in France set up innovative start-ups in Morocco. 
The Commission will continue to make support available in  future, under the Aeneas 
programme, to projects by which migrants or  diaspora members set up sustainable economic 
activities in countries of origin, with a pref erence for projects in third countries involving 
diasporas in two or more Member States. Su ch projects should be coherent with the 
development strategy of the third country concerned. 
In addition, it will further study the ways in whic h interested entrepre neurs from migrant 
communities can contribute to the development of their country of origin, the obstacles they 
face in doing so and the policies that should be followed to overcome these obstacles.  
Perhaps more importantly, in addition to dire ct financial support for such involvement of 
diaspora members, public author ities can also contribute to  such efforts by removing a 
number of obstacles,  in particular by: 
• in the public sector, offering the possibility fo r secondments to institutions in developing 
countries for migrants or di aspora members wishing to engage in such activities; 
• in the private sector, removing legal obstacles  to unpaid sabbatical leaves and encouraging 
businesses to enable their employees of forei gn origin to take unpaid leave for engaging in 
such activities33; 
• in both cases, ensuring that the persons in  question can continue to contribute to and 
benefit from social security schemes, in par ticular health insurance and pension schemes. 
The Commission will foster the id entification of best practices in areas such as secondments 
or sabbatical leaves, and the related social secu rity aspects, that can facilitate temporary 
return, as part of the dialogue to be launched with Member St ates as a follow-up to this 
Communication. 
                                                 
32 Migrants and more generally diasporas can therefore play an important role in helping their countries of 
origin take advantage of the important trade concessions granted by the Community to developing 
countries, notably in the context of the ‘Everyth ing But Arms’ (EBA) initiative, and which at present 
are far from being fully used by beneficiary countries.  
33 This issue may be raised by the Commission with the Social Partners in the framework of the 
discussions underway on Corporate Social Responsibility. 
 
EL 33   EL ANNEX 6: 
INITIATIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MITIGATING THE ADVERSE EFFECT OF 
BRAIN DRAIN ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
Whereas there are many cases where migration is  profitable for countries of origin, it can 
cause damage in specific situations. This is  particularly so when emigration leads to 
significant skills shortages in sectors that are es sential for the social or economic development 
of the countries in question. Su ch cases are best documented in the healthcare and education 
sector and the worst affected countries appear  to be in Africa and in the Caribbean, but 
problems could also appear in other sectors or  parts of the world. The phenomenon of brain 
drain affects particularly poorer countries becau se emigrants tend to have a better education 
than those who stay at home (the greater the distance, the greater the difference tends to be) 
and because selective immigrati on policies in developed countri es have contributed to the 
acceleration of the emigration of  skilled professionals.  
It must be noted that education abroad can al so contribute to brain drain if students do not 
return at the end of their st udies. This phenomenon can become  self-sustaining if emigration, 
by depriving universities of thei r best students, leads to lowe r quality levels, encouraging 
further emigration. 
While there is no such thing as a ‘right to migr ate’, it must be acknowledged that the decision 
to look for and take up employment abroad is  largely based on an in dividual assessment by 
the persons concerned of the cost s and benefits of such a choi ce. Public policies often have 
little influence on this decision. In addition, Me mber States retain significant competences in 
the area of economic migration and there are obvious limits to the scope for Community 
action in this area. The Commission believes,  however, that action in this area should 
encompass the following issues: 
1. Improving the evidence base 
The sensitivity to brain drain- type problems varies enormously from country to country and 
from sector to sector. Whereas some deve loping countries suffer from very significant 
shortages of critical skills, others have an excess supply of these skills34, and some even have 
a deliberate policy of exporting sk illed people, often trained in specialised, private educational 
institutions. Any sensible policy on mitigating brain drain should therefore be based on sound 
data at sectoral and country (o r even sub-national, in the case  of large countries) level. 
The Commission, in collaboration with other intere sted organisations and donors, is willing to 
support efforts by interested de veloping countries to improve their knowledge of their labour 
markets, including shortages or excesses of skills at sectoral level. This would serve as a basis 
for countries to devise responses to the identi fied problems, in the framework of their poverty 
reduction strategies.  
The Commission is ready to support such respons es, in the framework of its assistance to 
these countries. In addition, it w ould also make such informati on available to Member States, 
                                                 
34 In other words, a situation where there are not en ough suitable employment opportunities for graduates. 
In such situations the emigration of skilled professionals can be characterised as ‘brain overflow’ rather 
than as brain drain. 
 
EL 34   EL so as to help them steer their recruitmen t policies in a way that does not harm the 
development of countries of origin, as well as to the general public. 
As an example of possible responses, the Co mmission is currently preparing a separate 
Communication on 'Addressing the Crisis in Human Resources for Health', which will aim to 
prepare a set of innovative responses to human re source crisis in devel oping countries, within 
the broader health context of these countries, and building upon the framework set out in this 
Communication.  
2. Disciplining recruitment 
The issue of limiting recruitment of qualifie d professionals from developing countries 
suffering from severe skills shortages in key sectors was raised previously by the Commission 
in the December 2002 Communication. While it is not desirable to prevent individual would-
be migrants from looking for suitable employm ent in the EU, there is a case for limiting 
active recruitment by or on behalf of EU employ ers in those developing countries and sectors 
that suffer from severe skills shortages. Especi ally at a time when the need for skills in 
developed countries is expected to increase, a situation where re cruitment is carri ed out at the 
expense of development objectives must be  avoided. One Member State, the United 
Kingdom, has developed a voluntary instrument in the healthcare sector35 and there is 
therefore already some experience in the EU. In addition, the World Health Assembly has 
called for international action in this area36.  
It is the Commission’s view that isolated actio n by one or a few countries is unlikely to be 
very effective if other developed countries do not  show the same degree of self-discipline. 
The Commission encourages Member  States to develop mechanis ms such as codes of conduct  
to limit active recruitment in cases where it would have significantly negative repercussions 
for targeted developing countries, especially in the healthcare sector, and to coordinate their 
respective efforts in this area.  
The Commission will also strive to persuade ot her important destination countries to work 
towards similar arrangements. The possibilities for a global approach to recruitment policies 
should be explored and this issue be raised in the appropriate international fora, such as the 
WHO. 
The orientations which the Commission will is sue as a follow-up to its Green Paper on 
economic migration could also further contribut e to the debate on di sciplining recruitment37. 
3. Helping developing countries replenish their skills base 
For source countries the phenomen on of brain drain often repr esents a loss of significant 
investment in training and education, at least wh en the people who migrate have been trained 
by public sector institutions. It  is difficult, from a human righ ts perspective, to restrict 
people’s mobility by preventing them from l ooking for better paid employment or better 
                                                 
35 A revised, strengthened version of the Code of conduct on recruitments in the healthcare sector was 
issued in December 2004. 
36 ‘International migration of health personnel: a cha llenge for health systems in developing countries’. 
Resolution adopted by the 57th World Health Assembly on 22 May 2004. 
37 See Section 2.3 of the main text and Annex 5. 
 
EL 35   EL living and working conditions elsewhere38. However, the question ar ises whether destination 
countries could not, in one wa y or another, help developi ng countries that suffer from 
significant skills shortages as a result of migration to replenish their skills base.  
Some Member States are alr eady providing financial support fo r the training of health 
professionals in developing countries where th ey have been actively recruiting. In the 
Commission’s view this type of ‘compensation-schemes’ should not be viewed as a substitute 
for a policy for disciplining recruitment. Ho wever, the Commission encourages Member 
States to consider skill replen ishment schemes in countries that, as a result of brain drain 
processes, need to upgrade their healthcar e and/or education hu man resource basis. 
4. Better use of existing skills  resources within the EU 
An obvious response to the phenomenon of brain dr ain is for the EU to better use its own, 
existing skills resources. In this respect, the Li sbon strategy’s general ob jective of raising the 
activity rate in the EU offers a first respons e. At a more specific level, a well designed 
integration policy39 should also make it easier for the EU to tap into the partly unused 
potential represented by the migrants already residing in the EU. However, the maintenance 
by many Member States of transitional restrictio ns on the free movement of workers from the 
new Member States can also act in some cases as  an obstacle to the optimal use of available 
skills resources40 in the enlarged EU. This would appear  to militate in favour of a relaxation 
of temporary restrictions on free movement of workers from the new Member States. 
5. Fostering institutional partnerships 
It is often difficult for developi ng countries seeking to encourage skilled professi onals to stay 
in these countries rather than to emigrate or to encourage their return to compete against the 
wages and working conditions available in devel oped countries. Still, wages are only part of 
the equation and the Commission believes that  providing such professionals with career 
prospects and an adequate infrastructure could play an important role in changing the working 
conditions. Nowhere is this true r than in the research area. 
Fostering partnerships between institutions in the EU and in interest ed developing countries 
or region could play a role in addressing the causes of brain drain. In each case the precise 
mix of measures to be put in place would depend on a preliminary assessment of the country 
or region’s specific problems a nd needs. Measures could include  support for the creation of 
partnerships between scientific or university institutions in developing countries and in the 
EU to conduct resear ch activities jointly41. 
Other forms of partnerships between research institutions, universities, hospitals or other 
bodies in developing countries and EU Member States to mitigate brain drain could include 
                                                 
38 Even though some developing countries have devised a number of partial solutions. Indian medical 
students, for example, are obliged to spend a certain amount of time working in rural or poor areas 
before  they get their diploma.  
39 Cf. point 3 of Annex 4. 
40 However, consideration must also be taken of th e fact that some of the new Member States may 
themselves be suffering from a situation of brain drai n in specific sectors, as a result of an outflow of 
skilled labour to the EU-15 or other developed countries. 
41 Support to such partnerships is already an important component of EU policy on research and 
development and will be further developed under the upcoming 7th Framework Programme. 
 
EL 36   EL ‘shared work schemes’ in which scientists, researchers, doctors, technicians or other 
professionals from developing countries would sh are their work between an institution in their 
country of origin (University, hos pital, research centre, etc.) a nd a partner institution in an EU 
Member State42. The possibility of provi ding Community support to such schemes could be 
assessed, notably in the framework of the 7th Framework Programme on R&D.  
6. Development cooperation as a source of employment opportunities for skilled 
professionals in developing countries. 
Tens of thousands of skilled professionals from developed countries are employed in the 
elaboration, management and implementa tion of ODA-funded a ssistance projects in 
developing countries. If a significant number of these professionals could be replaced by 
nationals from the beneficiary countries or regions, this w ould create important employment 
opportunities for these nationals. Mo st donors have already taken some steps in this direction, 
but more can be done.  
The Commission believes that donors, in the co ntext of OECD/DAC, could usefully review 
the operational mechanisms of their technical assistance programmes with the specific 
objective of assessing whether stronger incentives for the employment of skilled professionals 
from developing countries by implem enting bodies could be introduced.  
With regard to projects funded by the Europ ean Development Fund (EDF) in ACP countries, 
article 26 of Annex IV of the Cotonou Agreement already provides that, ‘in respect of service 
contracts, given the required competence, pref erence shall be given to 1) experts … from 
ACP States where tenders of equivalent ec onomic and technical quality are compared…”. 
                                                 
42 Such schemes constitute one possible form of ‘circular migration’ (see section 2.3 in the main text and 
Annex 5). 
 
EL 37   EL ANNEX 7 
COMMISSION INTENTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE FOLLOW -UP OF THIS 
COMMUNICATION  
1. Dialogue with Member States 
Once the Council has adopted C onclusions on the implementati on of this Communication, the 
Commission is in favour of initiating a multid isciplinary dialogue with  and between Member 
States on migration and development, in whic h Member States’ Ministries dealing with 
migration in its various aspects – Development,  Employment, External Relations, and Justice 
and Home Affairs – would be re presented. This dialogue would aim at reinforcing coherence 
between the two policy areas. It s tasks would be threefold: 
• informing Member States on the implementa tion of this Communication in general and 
more specifically on progress on a number of initiatives taken in this context; 
• serving as a forum to exchange experiences an d practices in the vari ous areas covered by 
this Communication; 
• and, in doing so, contributing to improve overall coherence of these activities, in particular 
to maximise EU leverage at the global level.  
This dialogue could be complemented by an electronic forum for communication between 
members and an internet portal, also open to al l interested parties, which would help access 
the various studies and research  papers on issues related to the migration and development 
nexus prepared by or on behalf of the Member  States, EU institutions or international 
organisations. This would help ensure that  the significant amount of already available 
information is best used and avoid duplications.  
At a later stage, this internet portal could be  extended to include iden tified best practices in 
the various areas covered by this Communication. 
2. Dialogue with Third Countries 
As developing countries are dir ectly affected by EU policy on migration and development, the 
Commission will continue to in tegrate migration related topics  in the dialogue with these 
countries. A number of the orientations presente d in this communication and its annexes will 
require further debate and cooperation with  interested developing countries, either 
individually or as members of regional gr oupings. These dialogues should use the existing 
institutional frameworks43.  
Policy initiatives, in cluding assistance projects, should be based on an analysis of the situation 
of the country or group of countries concerned and designed and carried  out in a spirit of 
                                                 
43 For example the dialogues with individual ACP countries provided for in Article 8 of the Cotonou 
Agreement, the bodies set up under the Association or Cooperation Agreements, or the mechanisms of 
the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Another example, is that of the countries of South East Asia, with whom the new bilateral agreements which will be concluded will provide for a "comprehensive 
dialogue on all migration-related issues” which could be used for addressing migration and 
development issues, among others. 
 
EL 38   EL partnership with these countri es. Where appropriate, issues linked to the migration and 
development nexus should also be  reflected in the re levant country strategy papers (CSPs) or 
regional strategy papers (RSPs).  
The Commission also proposes the establishm ent of a Migration Pr ofile (MP) for each 
interested developing country. Su ch a document would bring togeth er all information relevant 
to the design and management of an e ffective policy on migration and development44. This 
could help define a policy response which wo uld tailor to th e situation and needs of the 
country or countries concerned the instrume nts presented in a generic manner in this 
Communication and its annexes.  (the proposed MP is furt her described in Annex 8). 
In addition, the Commission is ready to discuss with interested developing countries and their 
regional groupings the possibility  and appropriateness of better reflecting – where appropriate 
– issues related to the migrati on and development nexus in Pove rty Reduction Strategy Papers 
(PRSPs). 
3. Cooperation with international organisations 
In devising and implementing strategies to maximise the contribution of migration to 
development, EU institutions should take proper account of the wo rk already done by a 
number of international organisa tions in these areas and the expe rtise available there in order 
to avoid duplications of effort s. In addition, the Commission does not necessarily possess the 
specialist expertise available in these organi sations. The Commission will therefore reinforce 
its on-going dialogue on issues of migration and development w ith organisations such as the 
World Bank, ILO, UNHCR, the OECD, UNDP or IOM.  
4. Other stakeholders 
The Commission will maintain a dialogue with non-governmental  actors, including social 
partners, on issues related to migration and deve lopment. In particular, it will welcome efforts 
by diaspora organisations engaged in the deve lopment of countries of origin to set up 
mechanism or structures to ensure  their representation at EU level45. This should help these 
organisations express their views on the issues and initiatives set out in this Communication and its annexes and to contribu te actively to its follow-up. 
                                                
 
44 Including aspects such as the gender dimension of mi gration, refugee aspects or  the factors that might 
facilitate illegal migration, smuggling and trafficking. 
45 Cf. point 1 of Annex 4. 
 
EL 39   EL ANNEX 8: 
MIGRATION PROFILES  
Given the impact of initiatives in the area of migration and developmen t, an evidence-based 
approach which takes into account the realities of  developing countries is necessary. In order 
to develop a tailor-made, partnership approach for interested developing countries, a better 
understanding of the migration situ ation and related issues is a pre-condition. With this in 
mind the Commission proposes the establishm ent of a Migration Profile (MP) for each 
interested developing country. Such a doc ument, which would be prepared by the 
Commission in cooperation with the relevant country, would br ing together all information 
relevant to migration and development, thus allowing for a more appr opriate polic y approach 
and contributing to a better understanding of  the results of the policies implemented. 
Each MPs would aim to gather information on i ssues such as the labour market situation, 
unemployment rates, labour dema nd and supply and present or potential skill shortages by 
sector and occupation, skills needs in the countr y, skills available in the diaspora, migration 
flows, incoming and outgoing financial flows linked with migration, including migrant 
remittances, as well as relevant gender aspects and those related to minors.  
MPs would also include an overview of the policy framework of the country considered, 
including legal instruments releva nt to migration. An overview of  relevant projects and other 
initiatives in the country could also be incl uded. They should finally aim to assess both the 
short- and long-term impact on developing c ountries' labour markets of various relevant 
migration-related policies, if possible at a sectoral and occupational level. 
A large amount of information required for de vising MPs is already available, although not 
from a single source and not systematical ly for each country. MPs would provide a 
framework for bringing existing information from different sources together in a structured 
manner. In the beginning, MPs would be inco mplete, but by revealing the gaps in the 
available information, they would make it eas ier to fill these gaps as time went on. 
Besides this factual information MPs should also review the results  of analyses of the various 
areas that are relevant for migration policy. Th ey would help respond to challenges such as 
how to deal with skills shortages or on the cont rary labour surpluses, how to tap into the skills 
of the diaspora or how to maximise inflow s of remittances and make more productive use 
thereof.