Advertisement

EU migrants 'are a boost to local economies'

Staff reporter
Staff reporter - [email protected]
EU migrants 'are a boost to local economies'
The European Commission believe EU migrants in Barcelona have made a “strong contribution to the increase in the weight of service sectors in the local economy”.Photo: Contando Estrelas/Flickr

Just as the Swiss gave the thumbs down to freedom of movement across the EU, a timely new study reveals the benefits EU expats are having on their new communities.

Advertisement

The report by the European Commission focused on cities in six EU countries - Barcelona, Lille, Hamburg, Prague, Turin and Dublin - and  looked at the impact of EU expats living there.

It concludes that the influx of migrants from other EU countries has had major economic benefits, not least in boosting state coffers.

In Turin, northern Italy, local studies revealed that tax revenues from foreigners on the whole brought a net benefit of €1.5 billion to national public finances.

The study also showed that newcomers have helped “fill gaps in local labour markets, contributed to growth in new sectors and have helped balance out ageing populations”.

Such is the case with EU mobile citizens in Barcelona (26 percent of the city’s foreign population), who the European Commission believe have made a “strong contribution to the increase in the weight of service sectors in the local economy”.

"Free movement is a benefit for Europe, its citizens and its economies. There can indeed be challenges in some cities which need to be addressed. It would, however, be the wrong response to question the right to free movement,” said Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship.

"It would, however, be the wrong response to question the right to free movement. I believe we need to work together – at European, national and local level – to turn challenges into opportunities. These examples from the cities of Barcelona, Dublin, Hamburg, Lille, Prague and Turin show that it can be done," she added.

Spain is the most favoured destination for West Europeans considering a move to another EU country with the intention of working, The Financial Times reported.

It also has one of the highest incidences of foreign nationals on the population: 5.7 million people making up 12.2 percent of the total population.

In fact, the European Commission points out that the number of foreigners in Spain more than doubled in just five years (2002-2007).

The study also sheds some light on the types of EU expats who are making the most of their freedom to move around the continent, their reasons for doing so, as well as some of the problems they face.

The study shed some light on the types of EU expats who are making the most of their freedom to move around the continent, their reasons for doing so, as well as some of the problems they face.

Their main conclusions were as follows:

  • EU citizens move mainly because of job opportunities and they on average younger and more economically active than the local population.
  • The migrants are helping fill gaps in the labour market, either taking up mainly low skilled jobs, or helping to create new business ventures, like in Turin and Hamburg.
  • They are more likely to be more qualified than nationals, meaning they take up jobs below their qualification, which implies a wasting of skills.
  • EU migrants often earn less than the nationals who in the same jobs.
  • Mobile EU citizens often do not benefit from the same opportunities in terms of housing and inclusion of children in schools, despite the fact they pay the same taxes.
  • The results of the study was presented on Tuesday at a meeting of more than 100 mayors and representatives from local authorities from around Europe.

By Ben McPartland

Don't miss stories about Spain, join The Local on Facebook and Twitter.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also