Policy recommendations

  • To address the internal push factors for migration, the EU should provide adequate assistance to developing countries and achieve the target of 0.7% of GDP for development cooperation. It should help developing countries to devise effective strategies to retain highly skilled workers, e.g. through development programmes aimed at improving local employment opportunities and working conditions. This is especially necessary in the health sector.
  • The EU should provide targeted investments to train, deploy and retain staff in developing countries who are working in sensitive sectors such as education and health. The EU should also provide long-term budgetary support to underpin the domestic financing of those sectors.
  • The EU should ensure that all its member states sign a legally binding commitment that includes the private sector in order to prevent active recruitment in developing countries. Such a code of practice should address country- or region-specific needs. Furthermore, in order to ensure compliance, the EU should set up a formally constituted body with an oversight and watchdog role in the EU and developing countries.
  • To prevent a negative impact on source countries, the EU should introduce concrete measures to encourage the permanent return of Blue Card holders. Within the EU the portability of social rights should be facilitated. In developing countries, migrants should be offered benefits in order to encourage their return.
  • If the EU attracts workers whose education and training have been provided by their home countries, then these countries of origin should be appropriately compensated for having provided these skills. 
  • The EU should encourage its member states to strengthen their own (national) workforce policies in all sectors in order to become less dependent on foreign workers from less developed countries.

Case: Blue Card

21-09-2010 MEP Proinsias De Rossa asks questions about the Resolution on PCD and ODA+

After the resolution of the European Parliament on The EU Policy Coherence for Development and the Official Development Assistance plus concept was approved, Member of European Parliament (MEP) Proinsias De Rossa (S&D) raised questions about this to both the Council and the Commission. First De Rossa asked the Council what the response will be in bilateral trade agreements and the emphasis that needs to be put on brain drain, as was stated in the resolution.

The EU is allowing high-skilled labourers to move to EU member states in order to decrease demand for employees in certain sectors. The health sector has been notorious for these deficits. For instance African doctors and nurses come to work in the EU. This provides them the opportunity to earn more, but leaves their home country with one less trained healthcare professional. This problem is known as brain drain. For instance the shortfall in doctors in Ghana is 47%, which is undermining the development in this country.

In a second question Proinsias De Rossa (S&D) asked the Commission how they are going to support the Unitaid initiative on a patent pool for HIV/AIDS medicines, as was mentioned in the same resolution. HIV/AIDS is a tricky disease, since the patient is in constant need for new medicines due to drug resistance. The sub-Saharan African countries were hit hardest by the epidemic and for them the medicines produced under patent are simply too expensive. The patients are the victims of the expensive drugs. The EU is supporting Intellectual Property Rights, such as patens. However, the fight against AIDS has been given priority in the European Consensus on Development. Therefore there is incoherence in European policies.

For his concerns expressed towards brain drain and patents on HIV/AIDS medicines we recognize MEP Proinsias de Rossa (S&D) as Fair Politician. He will be awarded two points in our monitoring system.

Monitor fair: S&D(2)

Parliamentary questions
17 August 2010
E-6485/2010
WRITTEN QUESTION, by Proinsias De Rossa (S&D)

Subject: Health brain drain from developing countries

Further to the European Parliaments resolution of 18 May 2010 on policy coherence for development and the Official Development Assistance plus concept (P7_TA(2010)0174), how is the Council responding to paragraph 66, which emphasises the need to address the issue of brain drain in the implementation of bilateral trade agreements, in particular within the health sector?

Parliamentary Questions
17 August 2010
E-6495/2010
WRITTEN QUESTION, by Proinsias De Rossa (S&D)

Subject: Unitaid patent pool for HIV/AIDS medicines

Further to the European Parliaments 18 May 2010 resolution on The EU Policy Coherence for Development and the Official Development Assistance plus concept (P7_TA(2010)0174) and specifically to paragraph 62 of that resolution, how is the EU supporting the Unitaid initiative on a patent pool for HIV/AIDS medicines and similar initiatives?