Times: Europe's 'green card' for workers

The Times
December 22, 2005

Europe's 'green card' for workers

By Rory Watson

The European Commission wants to introduce a US-style green card system
in an attempt to attract skilled foreign labour to offset Europe's
declining population.

The initiative, presented yesterday by Franco Frattini, the European
Commissioner for Justice and Security, is part of a package of measures
to encourage educated, legal immigrants while clamping down on illegal
entrants. However, he said that the move, which is designed to attract
key personnel such as medical staff and IT specialists, would not
undermine the right of governments to decide how many should be allowed
into their countries.

The Home Office said: "We would have to decide whether to opt in or
not. We need to retain the ability to control our own borders, which we
believe is in our national interest." If migration trends remain the
same it is estimated that by 2030 there will be 20 million fewer
workers in the EU.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,173-1953099,00.html