Migration and Europe: Free to Move

Europe needs dramatic changes in its policy towards immigration. Free and complete internal immigration from the new member states should be accelerated, and a common European approach should replace the current closed-door policy. The emphasis on fighting illegal immigration through border controls is likely to be flawed, and only a pan-European policy has any chance of success.

The World Today
4 minute READ

Immigration law and policy has recently taken centre stage in the British policy debate. This should not be surprising and is not just the result of the visa scandals. Immigration is set to be one of the most – if not the most – controversial topics of the 21st century.

It is a multi-disciplinary issue involving economics, politics, moral and religious values, as well as international relations. This seems particularly true in the present international climate.

Despite the multi-disciplinary dimension, I still believe in the principle of comparative advantage. And on this occasion, the comparative advantage lies in two dimensions: economics and Europe. As a European entrepreneur, I tend to look at issues from a cross- country European perspective. And as an industrialist I obviously view them from a business and economics standpoint.

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