Doc. 10654

2 August 2005

Co-development policy as a positive measure to regulate migratory flows

Report

Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population

Rapporteur: Mr Rudy Salles, France, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

Summary

One of the main challenges faced by Europe today is to link a fair development policy aimed at eradicating poverty with a clear and comprehensive migration policy.

Co-development policy has emerged as a way of involving migrants as active actors of development who strengthen co-operation between home and host societies. Co-development may include several elements: assistance for framing economic projects, training and/or social reinsertion programmes, financial aid to set existing development aid and co-operation machinery into motion, access to credit facilities, etc.

The countries of origin of migrants can benefit from co-development in three main fields. The first is by increased mobility of persons through better access to visas. The second is through economic investments and better use of remittances. The third is through the brain gain of skilled persons, retirees and seasonal workers. The main benefit from co-development for host countries is the contribution to their labour market, improvement in the demographic situation and better control of illegal immigration.

In this report, the Rapporteur analyses different approaches to co-development at bilateral and multilateral level and the involvement of local authorities, diasporas and migrants themselves in the implementation of co-development projects.

The Parliamentary Assembly considers that international co-operation regarding migration and development should be further developed with a view to promoting co-development policies and projects, maximising the benefits for all partners involved.

I.       Draft resolution

1.       Today, more than 20 million foreign residents live in Europe. The majority of these migrants originate from developing countries and they make valuable contributions to their host countries as well as their countries of origin.

2.       Migrants contribute to the development of their countries of origin through investments and remittances but also through their skills, entrepreneurial activities and support for democratization and human rights promotion. This positive impact of migration on development is receiving increased recognition by all actors of international development co-operation.

3.       The Parliamentary Assembly considers that the interaction between migration and development, i.e. ensuring that migration contributes to sustainable development and that, in turn, development contributes to the management of migration, could be most successfully achieved through co-development policies. Co-development is of value both for European as well as North-South co-operation.

4.       The Assembly also believes that co-development policies aimed at involving migrants as actors of development who strengthen co-operation between home and host societies, should be actively promoted at European level.

5.       The Assembly stresses that partnership between the countries of migrants' origin and host countries is essential for responsibility sharing in regulating migratory flows in the common interests of all involved.

6.       It particularly underlines the role of local authorities in the development process, especially in facilitating remittances and creating favourable conditions for migrants' investment and repatriation projects.

7.       Co-development policies can have an empowering impact on women by promoting their financial independence and enabling them to exercise their rights more effectively. Women migrants can make use of acquired skills to bring about change and development in their countries of origin.

8.       The Assembly acknowledges the valuable contribution of diaspora communities to their countries of origin and calls on its member states to recognise diaspora communities as privileged partners of their national development policies.

9.       The Assembly welcomes the efforts of international organisations, such as the International Organisation for Migration, the European Union, the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations as well as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in promoting activities relating to migration and development and facilitating co-operation between countries of origin and receiving countries.

10.       Consequently, the Assembly invites the governments of the member states of the Council of Europe:

10.1.       as regards the link between development and migration, to:

10.2.       as regards co-development policies, to:

10.3.       as regards remittances, to:

11.       The Assembly also invites relevant international agencies to conduct studies on the micro and macro-economic impact of remittances and on the relationship between migration and remittances.

II.       Draft recommendation

1.       The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution. … (2005) on co-development policy as a positive measure to regulate migratory flows.

2.       The Assembly considers that international co-operation regarding migration and development should be further developed with a view to promoting co-development policies and projects, maximising the benefits for all partners involved.

3.       Therefore, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

3.1.       ask the relevant intergovernmental committee to work out, in co-operation with relevant bodies, policy guidelines for migration and co-development;

3.2.       encourage the North-South Centre to make migration and co-development one of its principal programme areas;

3.3.       consider how the Council of Europe Development Bank could be involved in the financing of co-development projects;

3.4.       invite the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to continue to address the issue of co-development and migration in the Organisation's programmes of activities.

III.        Explanatory memorandum by Mr Rudy Salles

1.       Introduction

1.       In the 1960s, when former colonies obtained their independence, large international funds were transferred to developing countries as development assistance. The idea was to link North-South relations, and more specifically official development assistance with an analysis of states' needs. The hope was that after a maximum of 30-40 years, acceptable living standards would have been achieved in the majority of developing countries.

2.       Unfortunately, 40 years experience has shown that real progress in development can be achieved only when development assistance is combined with other external inputs like foreign direct investment, trade liberalization and improved governance.

3.       Growing economic inequalities, extreme poverty, break down of national economies, revival of tribal, ethnic and religious conflicts, natural disasters and wars are the cause of migration movements, estimated at involving 175 million people.

4.       Since the early ‘70s the flow of unskilled labour into Europe has significantly decreased and many European countries have decided to apply a policy of "zero immigration", imposing additional controls, restrictions and barriers to the entry of migrants originating from developing countries.

5.       The migration pressure has, however, continuously increased and led to an overburdening of the asylum system and to increased irregular migration. One way to stop the migratory flow has been to find new ways of improving living conditions in the countries of origin and to use the potential of migrants in the development of their home countries.

6.       Co-development policy has emerged as a way of involving migrants as active actors of development who strengthen cooperation between home and host societies. Migrants contribute to development through investment and remittances, but also through their skills, entrepreneurial activities, and support for democratization and human rights promotion.

2.       Co-development is not an alternative to immigration policy

2.1.       Aims of co-development policies

7.       One of the main challenges faced by Europe today is to link a fair development policy aimed at eradicating poverty with a clear and comprehensive migration policy.

8.       Certain Council of Europe member states have introduced policies aimed at encouraging the return of lawfully resident immigrants to their country of origin so that they may participate in the economic development of their regions and countries of origin using the skills and knowledge acquired during vocational experiences allowing them to re-integrate into local working life. These policies bear various names, such as return aid, reinsertion aid or co-development aid. Implementing policies of this type is relevant not only for developing countries but also for European countries that are less economically developed.

9.       These policies pursue several aims. For the host country, they are a means of stabilising and managing migratory flows and directing aid towards development by enabling local populations to participate in economic projects. For the country of origin, they generate wealth and create jobs by strengthening production capabilities, infrastructures and the scope of action of local bodies.

10.       An undeniable and obvious element for the success of co-development policies is the existence of democratic and transparent structures in the developing country, which allow an allocation of resources likely to benefit the population of the country at large. An additional link between co-development and democracy is represented by clauses introduced in bilateral agreements which make the provision of aid and assistance dependent on the strengthening of democratic institutions in the developing countries.

11.       In addition, co-development policies have the merit of highlighting the responsibility of countries of origin in combating illegal migration, by using the financial resources they receive to create more and better jobs for their citizens.

12.       Co-development policy comprises several elements: assistance for framing economic projects, training and/or social reinsertion programmes, financial aid to set existing development aid and cooperation machinery into motion, access to credit facilities, etc. It is based on active partnership, between the authorities of the host country and those of the country of origin, including through the signature of co-development agreements or reinsertion contracts, with migrant associations and companies established in the country of origin. This policy should also help the countries of origin make progress towards democratic political systems respecting the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe.

13.       Co-development policy also entails training programmes aimed at fostering a two-way exchange, between the host country and the country of origin, of graduates or workers who train with specifically targeted companies.

14.       At the present stage of co-operation between the countries of origin and the receiving countries it is very important to stress that the best migration policy for developed nations is one that seeks to smoothly regulate the circulation and re-circulation of the majority of immigrants.

15.       The co-development policy brings certain advantages to receiving countries in meeting labour force needs; reducing demographic problems and controlling illegal migration. For the countries of origin it increases access to visas; increases amounts and efficiency of remittances and promotes the return and re-circulation of skilled and seasonal workers, and of retirees1.

2.2.       Evaluation of co-development

16.       The word "co-development" does not appear in any dictionary. The term "co-development" has evolved over the years. In the framework of debates on the new international economic order, "co-development" had a sense of co-operation between the North and the South, but in a very concrete meaning of "co-production" in terms of working together. The idea was that the North and the South had a common interest to co-operate, in certain circumstances, for their economic development.

17.       In recent years, co-development is concentrated on the dimension, which has been previously ignored: human resources. The present idea of co-development linked to migration puts the central focus on a factor which can significantly influence the development of the country of origin, namely human resources2.

18.       The idea to link development co-operation with migration was initiated by Lionel Stoleru, a Minister in the French Government of Raymond Barre in 1977, who introduced a project which consisted of giving a bonus of FRF 10 000 (1 500 euros) to foreign workers in return for their leaving France permanently together with their families3. Such projects were conducted with Morocco, Mali, Senegal and Algeria. The efficiency of these projects were limited: only a small number of people took advantage of this offer. These measures were not sufficient to solve the problem of illegal migration.

19.       The concept of French policy of co-development progressively evolved from encouraging legal and illegal migrants to return home, to stabilising and improving the situation of potential migrants in their countries of origin. This concept was developed as a policy in the report written by Sami Nair in 19974 at the request of French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. In this report, for the first time, immigration was considered as a vector of development. It was suggested to revitalize cooperation policy by using migration to further international solidarity, coupling the monitoring of remittances and development projects.

20.       Since 1997, the concept of co-development has gained its place in policies of many European countries. The place of migrants in development activities has been officially recognized.

21.       The evolution of this concept has proved that short term development co-operation can not achieve an orderly management of migration flows. It is only in the long-term perspective that co-development policies can achieve such a goal.

22.       Development co-operation is not an alternative to immigration policies. It includes intelligent management of migration policies applying new approaches to migrants as important actors of development: development aid can not replace the active involvement of immigrants in the co-development process, but it can be complementary to it.

2.3.       Actors of co-development

23.       The main actors of co-development policy involving migrants are:

–       States, which regulate the migration flows in relation to the needs of receiving countries and the countries of origin;

–       Regional authorities, which can add in the elaboration and implementation of projects of integrated development. They strengthen the role of local actors and promote as harmonious as possible contacts between local and migrant population.

24.       In addition, other partners from civil society can be involved in this policy, such as enterprises, labour organizations, universities and training institutes, migrant's associations active in the country of origin or in the host country. By involving these actors fully, co-development contributes to recognizing the role migrants' associations and local and regional authorities play in development assistance.

2.4.       Co-development components

25.       One of the most important aims of co-development is to encourage migrants and their relatives who receive remittances to invest their money into projects that would foster economic development in their home country.

26.       Co-development projects are often better suited to the real situation on the ground than European or international aid packages. Such projects, based on genuine partnership, strengthen the links between immigrants and their country of origin, particularly young people with immigrant parents, who feel that they are socially useful for the region or country of origin of their family.

27.       Therefore, it is very important that the authorities of receiving countries accord technical support for preparing individual projects. Migrants' associations and associations of retired persons should also be supported. The support for project aid should include facilitating access to credit and training, and organizing voluntary return to the countries of origin.

28.       To cite one example, since 2003, France has conducted a programme to assist Moroccans living in France to establish companies in Morocco. Under the terms of this programme, one third of the migrant's projects are funded through a bank loan, a third through the AFD (Agence Française de Développement) and the remainder through personal savings.

29.       The transfer of money by migrants constitutes an important economic contribution to the national economy for families, villages and regions in the countries of origin. These transfers help to create an unofficial social security system. The World Bank estimates that remittances by migrant workers amount to 65 billion USD per year. The national economy of Turkey for example annually receives around 3 billion USD from remittances of migrant workers, compared to 1.5 billion in official development assistance. In Morocco, the importance of remittances amount to 6 percent of GDP.

30.       As it was stressed at the G8 Sea Island Summit 2004 "remittances can therefore play a key role in private-sector development efforts, enabling families to receive needed capital, for example, for education, housing and small business start-ups and expansion, Attracting remittance flows into formal channels can strengthen financial systems in developing countries and reduce the risk that remittances will be diverted for illicit purposes."

31.       The lack of reliable financial and banking systems in the countries of origin is a main obstacle for emigrants who want to bring benefits to their home countries. Therefore, it is very important to develop projects supporting the local banking systems and to lower transfer costs. The banks can also offer additional services such as special accounts and credit programs to attract migrant customers.

32.       Finally, remittances may also be positively linked to economic growth. They can be used as additional funds to the development projects in the countries of origin. Migrants and their dependants often have a better understanding of local conditions and investment opportunities than foreign creditors and investors.

33.       As an example, in Morocco, in such towns as Nador and Targuist up to 85 per cent of the houses are the result of real estate investments made by migrants abroad who originate from these provinces.

34.       Remittances also play an important part in guaranteeing and improving education of people in the migrants' home countries, which is an extremely important factor for the development of human resources.

35.       However, remittances should not be considered as a panacea for the countries of origin and they should not replace official development aid. The industrialised countries should fulfil their commitment to contribute 0,7% of the GDP to development needs of less developed countries.

36.       Migrants trained abroad acquire intellectual and vocational skills as well as a network of contacts that can be beneficial for the economic development of their country of origin.

37.       To promote the return of students and migrants on the basis of the needs of the country of origin special re-employment training should be provided for those who are interested. It comprises vocational training programmes, co-development grants, co-development volunteers and training project contracts.

38.       Vocational training should be geared to viable jobs and pursued in co-operation with the private sector, trade unions, community organizations, local authorities and central government. Investment in training is a major advantage for retaining professionals, provided that it is accompanied by appropriate employment policy.

3.       Benefits of co-development

3.1.       For the country of origin

39.       Migrating from a poor to a rich country, migrants would be ready to contribute all or some of their skills and/or resources towards the development of their native country, provided that they are not forced to make a definitive choice between their host country and the country of origin5. Co-development policies offer to individual emigrants this opportunity to contribute to the benefit of their home countries.

40.       Co-development policy will be beneficial only if the countries of origin take an active part in this process and take responsibilities for the effective use of resources invested in co-development. This implies the creation of effective employment opportunities inside the countries and also a fight against the networks of criminal traffickers.

41.       The countries of origin of migrants can benefit from co-development in three main ways: increased mobility of persons through better access to visas; economic investments and better use of remittances; brain gain, skilled persons, retirees and seasonal workers.

42.       Migrants with long-term residence permits would be more willing to return home and to bring needed skills to their countries of origin. They create communities of their national origin in the receiving countries, which can assist in taking decisions about where and how to invest resources of individual migrants.

43.       Due to co-development policy retirees could be granted a permanent visa linked to a minimum period of residence and effective employment in order to circulate to their countries of origin. The receiving countries would create mechanisms to ensure that retirees who return home will continue to have medical assistance and will receive their pensions. Their professional experience and education could be useful for their local communities.

44.       Co-development could propose new solutions for seasonal workers, by allowing them to obtain renewable visas to work in the host country for a certain period of time during several years under condition that they would return home after the working season.

45.       Tourism by diaspora to their countries of origin also provides important foreign currency for their home countries and should be actively encouraged.

46.       The increased mobility of migrants allowed by co-development would increase remittances and investments sent back to the countries of origin. But the aim of co-development policy is not only to increase the amount of remittances, but also to raise its impact on the economy of the countries.

47.       A dedicated policy of co-development would include guarantees by the countries of origin to tackle the corruption that often skims off large portions of the remittances and, in a broader sense, introduces specific measures to ensure the democratic character of their institutions. It would also involve establishment of mechanisms simplifying the procedure of sending money by migrants and making it rather cheaper6.

48.       The increase of the positive impact of remittances would enhance the opportunities available to migrants and their families through innovative financial instruments and incentive-based programmes that also further broader development goals.

49.       Remittances can link migrant home town associations to their communities of origin by engendering aspects of voluntary association, civic participation, and shared and transparent decision-making, all critical elements of good governance7.

50.       The "Brain Gain", in other words, the return of skilled and educated migrants back to their home countries is one of the main concerns of the countries of origin. Co-development projects propose different ways to facilitate the “Brain Gain” and to set up connections between highly skilled expatriates and their countries of origin. The creation of diaspora networks gives expatriates the opportunity to transfer their expertise, knowledge and skills back to their home countries, without necessarily returning home permanently.

51.       The range of skills of migrants in the diaspora covers fields of specialisation urgently needed by the countries of origin, especially in the healthcare professions, in teaching and activities related to finance and investment. It is therefore relatively easy to determine the needs of countries in a methodical manner, for both the private and public sectors, and to match them using databases set up in receiving countries and the countries of origin.8

52.       International migration has fostered the development of transnational networks, which facilitate important cultural, political and economic exchanges that span across borders, and ensure sustainable links between countries of origin and destination.

53.       Today's global information society, enabled by information and communication technologies (ICTs), offers the opportunity to empower diaspora networks and enhance their impact on international co-operation policies9.

54.       As an example, the IOM's Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) programme involves temporary or permanent transfer of vital resources and skills to support the development of countries of origin. The programme promotes legal status for the diaspora in destination countries and relocates the resources of African migrants through a variety of actual and virtual transfers.

55.       Co-development policy is beneficial also for the receiving countries. The main benefits for those countries are: contribution to their labour market, improvement of the demographic situation and better control of illegal immigration.

56.       Due to co-development policy the receiving countries would be able to welcome highly skilled and trained members of the labour force, who, in their turn would make major contributions to the development of their countries of origin.

57.       More favourable conditions for the work of seasonal migrants would also add to the benefits of the receiving countries, especially by contributing to the fight against using the services of illegal workers.

58.       The UN has published a report advocating immigration as a means of combating the "declining and aging population". According to this report, Europe will have to admit somewhere in the region of 80 million people by the year 2050 if it is to bring its workforce back up to an acceptable level. In view of this tendency, immigration becomes a key component in increasing the population in Europe. But the question has to be raised as to whether this increase is necessary. At a time when relocation is particularly affecting the industries which use relatively unskilled labour, this massive rise seems likely to be excessive, and does not necessarily seem desirable, from the point of view of both countries of origin and receiving countries. It has to be emphasised that high unemployment persists in European countries, and that the population below the poverty threshold is increasing.

59.       The implementation of co-development policies by European countries, which suffer from the decline in population, will nevertheless contribute to the increase of their workforces. Co-operation mechanisms between the countries of origin and the receiving countries will help to devise appropriate responses to demographic situations in different European countries.

60.       Co-development policy cannot be efficient without an equal co-operation between the countries of origin and the receiving countries. Such co-operation will be vital in the prevention of illegal migration flows. The countries of origin will be committed to repatriate their illegal migrants and to prevent their nationals from travelling to European states without the entry documents established by those States. This co-operation will extend to the fight against the trafficking of illegal migrants and against smuggling networks.

61.       The countries of origin will co-operate with the receiving countries in identification of illegal migrants or those who abused their right of seasonal work.

4.       Co-development approaches

62.       This section will look at a number of practical examples of co-development at bilateral and multilateral level.

      4.1.       Direct support for development

63.       The primary component of development aid is direct support from one country to another – bilateral aid in the form of aid-workers, project funding, emergency aid, etc. Many countries in Europe pursue a policy of both integrating the immigrant population and maintaining links with the latter's countries of origin. Accordingly, this section will look at some of the best examples of this.

64.       In France, development aid accounts for the lion's share of public aid, totalling in 2002, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, some 5.5 billion euros, or 0.36% of the GDP. The Migrations and Economic Initiatives Programme, initiated in 2001, is financed by the Ministries of Social Affairs and Foreign Affairs and run by an NGO (pS-Eau). The aim of the programme is to assist both legal and illegal immigrants from Africa wishing to start a business in France or their country of origin and to point them in the right direction for training, technical assistance and funding. This programme also finances feasibility studies for immigrants' projects. To give greater backing to the initiative a network has been set up, the Micro-enterprise Support Group, comprising 14 specialist organisations working in 10 different countries in partnership with local organisations, intended to provide information and assistance to immigrants wishing to set up business in their country of origin. While there is still some room for improvement, these programmes have nevertheless contributed significantly to returns policy, in qualitative rather than quantitative terms, and have proved extremely useful to immigrants wishing to resettle in their home society. At present, all of France's administrative regions, half of the country's départements and the vast majority of cities, towns and villages are actively supporting almost 6,000 international programmes in 114 countries.

65.       Bilateral co-operation between Germany and Turkey is geared primarily to infrastructure development projects, supplemented by advice measures making it easier for Turkish immigrants to invest in, or return to, their home country. Germany is at the moment the only donor country to implement projects such as these, as part of its economic co-operation measures, in the economically weaker areas of Turkey. Since 1960 financial co-operation with Turkey has amounted to almost 4.3 billion euros both in loans and, in part, in the form of grants. There have also been loans from the KfW (Reconstruction Loan Corporation), granted under commercial conditions for larger-scale projects, adding a further 500 million euros to the funds already channelled towards Turkey. Commitments under technical co-operation are in excess of 273.5 million euros.

The role of diasporas

66.       Diasporas have always been playing an important role in development and poverty reduction of their countries of origin. European governments pay significant attention to the links with diasporas and 60% of counties in Europe are collecting information on their diasporas abroad.

67.       Policy interests in diasporas is closely linked to three current migration trends – rising numbers of labour, youth and female migrants. Migrant workers, expatriate students and women as independent migrants will build particular relations with the host and home countries and their departure has a particular long term impact on their home country development10.

68.       On the initiatives of certain diasporas, specific trade agreements were signed between Southern European and Northern African countries. The mobilisation of diasporas has been a part of co-development strategy introduced by the French government in 2000 through the signature of a Convention with Senegal.

69.       Diaspora networks were created to encourage contacts with countries of origin. For example, the government of Armenia has created a website to contact and provide information to the approximately 10 million11 Armenians living abroad. Similar initiatives are very helpful in engaging diasporas to direct investments in the economies of their countries of origin.

70.       The problem of citizenship is closely linked to the potential of investments by diasporas. Diasporas may be discourages from investing if their countries of origin do not recognise dual citizenship. The elimination of this obstacle can facilitate better involvement of diasporas in development projects. Another measure that can positively influence diasporas involvement is an enforcement of political rights of diasporas in their countries of origin: the right to vote, the right to buy land and property, the right to transfer pension rights and social benefits acquired abroad.

71.       To increase diasporas financial assistance the countries of origin can lower transfer costs, offer secured business transactions, provide tax exemptions and breaks or bonds for expatriates only.

72.       By their nature, local authorities in countries of destination and origin have a particular interest in the local development process. They are also concerned with migrants' economic, social and cultural involvement in their community. However, they must act in consultation with all those concerned, including civil society, particularly migrants' associations and organisations that promote international solidarity, governments and international organisations.

73.       Co-development initiatives require the participation of elected members, central and local government departments, migrants, civil society and citizens as a whole.

74.       Local advisers, elected officials and local authorities can make co-development activities more effective by facilitating access to information. They also need to make their fellow citizens aware of the issues surrounding immigration and co-development and ensure that co-development policies are compatible with migrants' civil and social rights.

75.       The new powers granted to local government as part of the decentralisation process do not lessen the need for national government involvement in development and co-operation activities.

76.       Co-operation between central and local government is essential for supporting migrants' initiatives, particularly in the form of harmonised policies and a common frame of reference within which co-development can be officially recognised and made more effective. Encouraging interaction between local authorities and civil society in north and south, and in east and west, is also an important way of strengthening social cohesion policies and processes and the prospects for local development.

      4.2.2.       Examples of regional co-development projects

77.       During the last years, the Italian government has implemented several projects based on the co-development approach. The majority of these projects were realized through decentralized cooperation at regional level, with direct involvement of local authorities and NGOs.

78.       Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna regions of Italy initiated a number of projects in Morocco to favour local business and develop new forms of business financing through micro-credit.

79.       As examples, the "Jubilee Project" which involved local traditional workers (craftsmen, farmers, etc.) from Morocco provided training courses for migrants to enable them to develop local business activities in their country of origin.

80.       The Pilot Programme to Promote the Development of Out-Migration Areas in Tunisia "PROCHE" was launched by the Trade Institute of Piedmont region favoured the creation of small and medium size business enterprises in Tunisia.

81.       In Toscana region, a co-development project was initiated to reinforce local economic activities of Senegal migrants. This project consisted of the creation of a joint venture between Italy and Senegal and encouraged the return of migrants from Senegal to their country of origin as "development agents".

4.3.       Multilateral aid

82.       Development aid can be run by several countries which decide to combine their efforts and run co-ordinated activities: this is multilateral aid.

83.       Increased migration into European countries has created considerable challenges for collaboration in the field of migration between European Union member countries and within the framework of the Council of Europe. Although migration was included as a community issue shared with the states in the Maastricht Treaty, a coherent European Union policy has not been formulated. It has to be noted that progress in this sphere is slow and difficult.

84.       The first attempt to look into the linkage between migration and development was made at the European Council meeting in Tampere, held on 15-16 October 1999 during which the main elements for a common European immigration policy was elaborated. The leaders of the European Union distinguished that the key element in management strategies of immigration policy should be the development of partnerships with countries of origin including co-development policies.

85.       In the new migration policy currently being worked out by European institutions, a more positive connection between mobility and development seems to be established, but it is important to see how this policy will be practically implemented in each European country.

86.       Co-operation projects with the authorities of the new member states are in an expansion phase. The traditional development aid instrument is the European Development Fund, but a new programme, INTERREG, focuses specifically on cross-border, trans-national and inter-regional co-operation.

87.       In south-east Europe, following the conflicts in the Balkans, the CARDS programme is designed to help with reconstruction, refugee returns, economic development and stability in the region. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are still a large number of refugees who are unable to return to the homes they left during the war. If a returns policy is to be effective, new businesses and new jobs have to be created. The Quick Impact Facility (QIF) programme has awarded grants and loans both directly to small companies and start-ups and via local authorities and non-governmental organisations. In the space of three years this programme has given support to 85 companies, creating 2,100 new jobs.

88.       The TACIS (2000-2006) Community programme encourages democratisation, the rule of law, and the transition to a market economy in the New Independent States (NIS). It makes provision for technical and financial assistance. An action plan covering the period 2004-2006 is currently under way in Ukraine focusing on border management and migration issues.

89.       Under the MEDA programme – the EU's main financing instrument for implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership – an integrated pilot project is currently under way in Morocco for the local socio-economic development of a region with a high migration potential, co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg III B-Medoc programme: a multi-purpose social complex is to be built in the region of Tetouan (offering information, counselling, training, education, guidance and follow-up services) aimed at the different categories and all age groups among the poorer sections of the population, in order to assist them with their social and occupational integration.

90.       One of the priority areas of the work of the Council of Europe is the development of European co-operation on migration, on the situation and social integration of populations of migrant origin.

91.       In 2002, the 7th Conference of Ministers responsible for Migration Affairs of the member states of the Council of Europe (16-17 September, Helsinki) recommended that the Committee of Ministers implement a Plan of Action that included the establishment of a regular dialogue and partnership between countries of origin, transit and destination.

92.       The Committee of Ministers has since established a Political Platform of the Council of Europe on Migration for this purpose. This Political Platform provides a high-level forum for a pan European discussion involving countries from outside Europe out of which it is possible for the participants to identify areas for co-operation and the ways and means of implementing them bilaterally, multi-laterally or through different international organisations.

93.       The second session of the Political Platform concentrated on student mobility and co-development. It took place in Strasbourg on 13 May 2004 and concentrated on the exchange of ideas on such important subjects of co-development as the effect of students' migration on their countries of origin, the return of students and the desired changes to policies and rules and practice on foreign students.

94.       With a view to supporting the Political Platform and, in particular, to stimulate cooperation with governments, parliamentarians, local authorities and NGOs from the many African countries with close migratory links with Europe the Council of Europe in cooperation with the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity ("North South Centre") and has decided to organise a pilot series of technical workshops over 2 years. The general theme of these workshops is Migrations and co-development.

95.       On 23-24 April 2004, in Lisbon, the North South Centre and the Directorate of Social Affairs and Health of the Council of Europe organised a workshop on migrants as actors on development: here and there. The workshop examined the role of migrants' associations, principally in supporting the development of migrants' countries of origin but also in contributing to the social, economic and cultural development of their countries of destination.

96.       The purpose of these workshops was to discuss issues of practical co-operation, share examples of good practice particularly in the area of micro-projects, formulate project proposals and if possible assist in the search for necessary funding.

97.       The second workshop on co-development – the role of local authorities, took place in Lisbon on 3-4 December 2004 and focussed on local authorities' contribution to migration policies, their relations with migrants and their involvement in co-development.

98.       In the framework of the preparation of this report, the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the Parliamentary Assembly in collaboration with the French delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe organised European Day: Migration, Refugees and Asylum (19 January 2004, Paris). One of the topics for discussion during this event was "Migration and Development". Mr Michel Rocard, former Prime Minister, member of the European Parliament and former Chair of the Committee on Regional Development of this assembly, participated in this discussion and elaborated on the evolution of co-development policy in France.

99.       The Assembly has also launched the idea of the creation of the European Migration Agency, which could potentially also be used for the promotion of co-development policy and for the elaboration of co-development projects.

100.       Migration and development has, for many decades, been a key area of focus for the International Organization for Migration.

101.       In the course of the last years, IOM has implemented migration projects directly linked to development in more than 30 countries in Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, South Asia, South East Asia, and South Eastern Europe. These projects address the migration/development nexus in a range of ways, including:

–       Assistance in the transfer of migrant communities' skills and expertise

–       Micro and small enterprise development

–       Labour market rehabilitation and reintegration

–       Return programmes for qualified nationals

–       Skill development projects for migrants

–       Pre-departure and post-arrival orientation programmes for labour migrants

–       Government capacity-building in labour migration management

–       Remittance management.

102.       IOM undertakes and supports research that provides factual analysis to enable policy and programme development in order to maximize the impact of remittances for development.

103.       The programme Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA), initiated by the OIM sets out to facilitate the transfer of vital skills and resources of the African diaspora to their countries of origin, based on the concept of mobility of people and resources. The IOM works with participating African countries, host countries and the diasporas to implement activities in the following areas: small-scale enterprise development, creating a network with diaspora groups and remittances management.

104.       The following are two examples of ongoing activities. First, the programme on "mobilising Ethiopians living abroad for the development of Ethiopia": the website "Ethiopian diaspora info", funded by the Italian government, contains information on how to start a business, announcements relevant to the diaspora and investment advice. The database will be used to assess the skills and financial and human resources available and match them to the country's needs.

105.       Second is the programme entitled "E-learning: a new option for skills transfer": in 2003, the Belgian government funded a pilot initiative in distance learning involving a twinning arrangement between the Free University of Brussels and the University of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The programme links the diaspora and the educational institutions within countries, helping to build capacity and encouraging trained professionals to remain in their home country.

106.       The Pilot Programme to Promote the Development of Out-Migration Areas in Tunisia "PROCHE" is a clear example of a co-development approach. Initially co-funded by Italian co-operation, it is intended to support local economic development through sustainable employment creation, to enhance existing local skills and reduce migration flows from unemployment-stricken areas. Complementary activities are carried out in Italy and Tunisia: Tunisian nationals abroad and Italian entrepreneurs are encouraged to invest and set up micro-enterprises; unemployed young people and women are attending advice and training courses leading to the setting up and management of micro-enterprises in the tourism, agriculture and craft sectors. The project also includes labour intensive activities, such as the restoration of historical sites.

107.       The Inter-Parliamentary Union in the framework of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in the Mediterranean (CSCM) is working at the establishment of the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly. This assembly will bring together 24 Mediterranean countries to discuss the problems of common interest, such as security, environment and co-operation. The Assembly would aim at fostering relations of confidence between Mediterranean States so as to ensure regional security and stability and to unite their endeavours in a true spirit of partnership with a view to the harmonious development of the different states. One of three committees of this Assembly, the Committee on Economic, Social and Environmental Cooperation: Co-development and Partnership, will be dealing with issues of globalisation, the Barcelona process, economy, trade, finance, debt issues, industry, agriculture, employment and migration, population, poverty and exclusion, human settlements, water resources, desertification and protection of the environment, tourism, transport, science and technology.

4.4.       Civil society and decentralised co-operation

108.       States are not the only players in development. Civil society plays an active part through associations, NGOs, trade unions and business.

109.       In 2000, the European Commission stated in a communication that "Co-operation between countries of origin and residence of migrants must be based on dialogue with governments and with the migrants themselves and their associations to ensure that migratory movements are taken into account in developmental, economic and social strategies of the countries concerned"13. Gradually, migrants' international solidarity organisations have become significant players in development co-operation, particularly through the multifaceted links they have forged between their country of residence and their country of origin. Examples are the Forim in France, Abantu for Development in the United Kingdom, and Migration & Development in Belgium. Between 1998 and 2001, Abantu for Development has trained about 700 men and women in East, South and West Africa, and in the United Kingdom, providing information and advice on mobilising resources towards sustainable development in Africa.

5.       Conclusions and recommendations

110.       Migration is closely linked to development policy issues, including development aid, international trade and investment and economic growth. It can no longer be addressed from the point of view of control and repression, but should be incorporated into sustainable development. The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) both impacts and is impacted on by the effective management of migration. The interaction between migration and development, i.e. ensuring that migration contributes to sustainable development, and that in turn, development contributes to the management of migration could be most successfully achieved through co-development policies.

111.       If the co-development policies are implemented, it will significantly improve the regulation of migratory flows in the common interests of the countries of origin, receiving countries and migrants themselves.

112.       Efficient co-development projects could help migrants to contribute to economic development of their countries of origin through their financial resources as well as their skills and knowledge. They could also stimulate the democratisation processes, political reforms and the promotion of human rights in those countries.

113.       The countries of origin, as well as receiving countries, should develop public policies focusing on increasing the positive impact of remittances and profiting from the learning and business opportunities offered by migration and transnational connections that migrants create.

114.       To help developing countries to formulate effective remittance management policies, which will support official remittance flow and its enhanced use, it is very important to gather information about remittance outflows from European countries. Studies should be conducted by relevant international agencies on the micro and macro-economic impact of remittances and on the relationship between migration trends and policies and remittance flows.

115.       It is also important to develop potential of remittances sent by migrants to their countries of origin. It can be done by lowering the transfer costs, reducing the risks involved in transfers and offering more attractive investment alternatives. Such developments can be encouraged by international development agencies.

116.       Innovative micro-credit programs, an expanded banking infrastructure and the use of new financial instruments like remittance-backed bonds should be supported14.

117.       International community and donors could help the countries of origin to improve local infrastructures and create good business environment, but the main responsibility for the creation of favourable investment climate should be borne by the countries of origin.

118.       They should create an institutional and financial system favourable to efficiently and effectively channelling and investing resources. The governments of these countries should pursue policies, which will encourage migrants to return home and will ensure that they will have better conditions for the investment of their money and positive prospects for a future.

119.       Local government and civil society initiatives should be encouraged to facilitate repatriation projects. Migration will have a positive effect on development only when local institutions play an active role in placing the savings of the families of migrants at the disposal of local producers. Local development policies are an essential precondition for measures to promote the positive impact of co-development.

120.       Governments should also encourage the work of non-governmental organisations, which promote projects that help to use remittances for poverty reduction in the countries of origin.

121.       It is only through real co-operation between the countries of origin and the receiving countries that co-development policies could achieve effective results in eradicating poverty and using migration as a development vector.

122.       The governments of the member states of the Council of Europe could be invited:

i.       to help the countries of origin to improve their infrastructures and to create better conditions for international investments;

ii.       to grant financial aid, subject to a clause giving an undertaking of return for a fixed period, so that students may complete their studies abroad;

iii.       to enable the beneficiaries of a programme to obtain a visa allowing movement between the host country and the country of origin;

iv.       to facilitate regulatory or administrative measures assisting the resettlement of migrants;

v.       to step up cooperation between the departments concerned at the level of both the host country and the country of origin to ensure that projects are monitored and assessed;

vi.       to step up the budget resources allocated to these policies and foster access to micro-credits;

vii.       to consider how the Council of Europe Development Bank could be involved, through the adoption of such programmes between Council of Europe member states.

Reporting Committee: Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population

Reference to Committee: Doc. 9949, Reference 2884 of 25 November 2003

Draft resolution and draft recommendation unanimously adopted by the Committee on 21 June 2005

Members of the Committee: Mr John Wilkinson (Chairperson), Mrs Tana de Zulueta (1st Vice-Chairperson), Mr Doros Christodoulides 2nd Vice-Chairperson), Mr Jean-Guy Branger (3rd Vice-Chairperson), Mr Pedro Agramunt, Mrs Lale Akgün (alternate: Mrs Verena Wohlleben), Mr Gulamhuseyn Alibeyli (alternate : Mr Bakhtiyar Aliyev), Mr Akhmed Bilalov, Mrs Oksana Bilozir, Mrs Mimount Bousakla, Mr Paul Bradford, Mr Ivan Brajović, Mr Márton Braun, Mr Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Mr Boriss Cilevičs, Mrs Minodora Cliveti, Mrs Elvira Cortajarena, Mr Franco Danieli, Mr Joseph Debono Grech, Mr Taulant Dedja, Mr Nikolaos Dendias, Mr Abilio Dias Fernandes, Mr Karl Donabauer, Mrs Lydie Err, Mr Mats Einarsson, Mr Valeriy Fedorov, Mrs Daniela Filipiová (alternate: Mr Tomáš Jirsa), Mr Karl Theodor Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg, Mr Andrzej Grzesik, Mr Andrzej Grzyb, Mr Ali Riza Gülçiçek, Mr Michael Hagberg, Mr Michael Hancock (alternate: Mrs Ann Cryer), Mrs Jelena Hoffmann, Mr Ilie Ilaşcu, Mr Tadeusz Iwiński, Mrs Corien W.A. Jonker (alternate: Mr Ed van Thijn), Lord Franck Judd, Mr Oleksandr Karpov, Mrs Eleonora Katseli, Mr Tibor Kékesi, Mr Evgeni Kirilov, Mr Dimitrij Kovačič, Mr André Kvakkestad, Mr Petr Lachnit, Mr Geert Lambert, Mr Jean-Marie Le Guen, Mr Younal Loutfi, Mr Tito Masi, Mr Jean-Pierre Masseret (alternate: Mr Rudy Salles), Mrs Ana Catarina Mendonça, Mr Morten Messerschmidt (alternate: Mr Morten Østergaard), Mr Xhevdet Nasufi, Mr Giuseppe Naro, Mr Gebhard Negele, Mr Pasquale Nessa, Mr Kalevi Olin, Mr İbrahim Özal, Mr Gheorghe Popa, Mr Cezar Florin Preda, Mr Alojz Přidal, Mr Gabino Puche (alternate: Mr Adolfo Fernández Aguilar), Mr Milorad Pupovac, Mr Martin Raguž, Mr Anatoliy Rakhansky, Mr Marc Reymann (alternate: Mr Denis Jacquat), Mr Branko Ružić, Mrs Katrin Saks, Mrs Naira Shakhtakhtinskaya, Mr Össur Skarphéðinsson, Mr Luzi Stamm, Mrs Terezija Stoisits, Mr Michael Stübgen, Mrs Elene Tevdoradze, Mr Tigran Torosyan, Mrs Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold (alternate: Mrs Rosmarie Zapfl-Helbling), Mr Arno Visser, Mr James Wray (alternate: Mr Bill Etherington), Mr Akhmar Zavgayev, Mr Emanuelis Zingeris, Mr Vladimir Zhirinovsky (alternate: Mrs Vera Oskina).

N.B.: The names of the members who took part in the meeting are printed in bold

Secretariat of the Committee: Mr Halvor Lervik, Mr Mark Neville, Mr David Ćupina

1  Towards a Coherent policy of Co-Development, Patrick Weil, International Migration, Vol.40, N3, special issue 1/2002, p. 41-53.

2  Regards croisés sur le co-développement, Jean Freyss, Liaison franco-africaine, Numéro 54, Sept-Dec 2003, p.4.

3  Development co-operation Review, France, 2000, v.1, N 3, p. 1-86.

4  Rapport de bilan et d'orientation sur la politique de co-développement liée aux flux migratoires, mission interministérielle «Migration/Co-développement», Ministère des Affaires étrangères, Paris, 1997.

5 Statement by Ms Ndioro Ndiaye, Deputy Director General of IOM, World Summit for Sustainable Development, 30 August 2002, Johannesburg.

6 Towards a Coherent policy of Co-development by Patrick Weil, International Migration, Vol.40, N3, special issue 1/2002, p.41-53.

7 Migration and Development: Blind Faith and Hard-to-Find Facts, by Kimberly Hamilton, November 1, 2003, Migration Information Source http://www.migrationinformation.org/feature.

8 World Summit for Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 30 August 2002, statement by Ms Ndioro Ndiaye, Deputy Director General, IOM.

9 Diaspora Knowledge Network, proposal established by the International Committee for Social Science Information and Documentation (ICSSD), W.A. Turner, Université de Paris-Sud, April, 2003.

10 Workshop on Migration and Development, Mainstreaming Migration into Development Policy Agendas, 2-3 February 2005, Geneva, IOM.

11 www.armeniadiaspora.com

12 "Migration and Co-development", Thematic Workshop II: Co-development and the role of local authorities ( 3-4 December 2004, Lisbon). Workshop report. Council of Europe and the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe.

13 "A Community Immigration Policy", Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, COM (2000)757 final, 22 November 2000.

14 Using Remittances and Circular Migration to drive Development, by Kevin O’Neil, Migration Policy Institute, June 1, 2003, Migration Information Source.