Applying the Global Approach to Migration to the Eastern and South-Eastern Regions Neighbouring the European Union

In December 2005, the European Council adopted the Global Approach to Migration, which brings together migration, external relations and development policy to address the broad migration agenda in an integrated, comprehensive and balanced way in partnership with third countries. It initially focused on Africa and the Mediterranean region. In its Conclusions of December 2006, the European Council called on the Commission «to make proposals on enhanced dialogue and concrete measures» with regard to applying the Global Approach to the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU. This Communication responds to that invitation.

The main focus of this Communication is the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU which, in the view of the Commission, comprise:

Turkey, the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, including Kosovo); the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) partner countries in Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus) and the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia); and the Russian Federation.

The Communication suggests that recommendations relating directly to these countries should be considered in the first instance. However, it notes that applying the Global Approach to the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU according to the concept of ’migratory routes’ also requires consideration of countries of origin and transit further afield. It suggests, therefore, that attention must also be paid to:

Middle Eastern ENP partner countries (Syria, Jordan and Lebanon), Iran and Iraq; Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan); and Asian countries of origin such as China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia.

For these countries and regions, this Communication provides recommendations for the more medium to long term.

With all the countries listed, the Community has an institutional framework in place within which political and economic dialogue and cooperation relations have been established, generally including the area of migration. An account of these frameworks has been given in this Communication for each group of countries. In some cases, dialogue and cooperation on migration and related areas (such as employment and education) are already very developed, and the Communication therefore underlines that any possible reinforcement of dialogue and cooperation on migration should build on existing initiatives.

MEMO/07/195

Brussels, 16 May 2007

Source : Europa