GoingToMeet

Unprecedented streams of migration to European countries have forced European governments to reconsider their immigration policies. On the one hand, there is the perception that labour migration is needed to help fill the projected gap in the labour force that will result from the low fertility levels in most European countries. On the other hand, a large volume of immigration from outside Europe may change the cultural, social and even political face of Europe. What is going to happen with migration in the future? Given the further divide of the world into rich and poor, do we expect more people to look for a better life and seek their fortune in Europe? What could be political measures aimed at optimising migration flows and what should be their guiding criteria? This question is very much related to the effect migration has on the labour force and on social security systems. What should be the criteria for judging the impact of migration on the future ethnic and religious composition of the population? Migrants often do not come alone: they bring their families and have children in the countries of destination. What is the effect of migration on fertility in the receiving countries? How does it affect the health and education status in Europe?