At a time when migration has become a political hot potato, it is important to present a positive message on migration. The revision of the blue card directive provides the opportunity to attract high skilled workers to Europe. That was the message from an S&D conference today on labour migration into the EU.

S&D MEP Claude Moraes, chair of the Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, said:
 
“With all the negative news stories about migration and asylum, it is important to show another side to the argument. The Blue Card Directive can help make Europe more attractive to highly skilled migrants that we need in Europe. This can help boost our economies and enrich our culture. However, for our Group it is essential that the Blue Card is based on equal treatment and enhancing the rights attached to the Blue Card."

Jutta Steinruck MEP, the S&D employment and social policy spokesperson, added:
 
"We have to strike a balance between opening the scope of the Blue Card to other highly skilled workers while guaranteeing equal treatment, social protection and labour-rights standards for workers in the internal market. The simplification of the recognition of qualifications to ease skill shortages in the labour market must not lead to the opening of new loopholes. EU legislation should be flexible enough to allow member states the possibility of going beyond a minimum level of rights and grant more favourable provisions."