This week, MEPs debated the options of integrating refugees in the labour market. Well knowing that this is a dynamic process, which is characterised by interactions, which at the same time represents both a challenge and an opportunity, and which requires efforts by local administrations, by host communities, by the refugees themselves as well as the participation and support of social partners. However, as everyone agrees, this will not be possible without financial aid. Hence, not only the EU Parliament, but also the Chamber of Labour demands an increase and no redeployment of the European Social Fund (ESF) to ensure a fair financial sharing of the burden.

Increasing the ESF shall become priority

The draft report of the EU Parliament identifies an urgent need for action regarding the integration of refugees in the labour market, as according to EUROSTAT, 1.3 million people have applied for asylum in the EU in 2015 alone and one can assume that this number will increase over the coming years. Hence, the report demands that the Commission, when reviewing its multiannual financial framework, should increase its allocation for the European Social Fund to a share of 25 % of the budgetary funds for cohesion policy. The demand to increase the ESF is exactly what the Chamber of Labour has in mind, which, within the scope of a new European employment initiative for refugees demands an increase of the ESF by 10 billion euros. This amount is adequate to fund the required measures to integrate about one million people into the labour market. From the point of view of the Chamber of Labour, another important point at European level concerns the criteria of funds allocation. These should not be distributed in accordance with the standard ESF key (level of unemployment ...). Due to the special character of this challenge, the key indicators have to be the number of people seeking and being entitled to asylum seekers admitted by a Member State as well as the extent and the quality of the intended labour market measures.

Refugees shall get access to housing, healthcare and social protection

The draft report of the EU Parliament also provides for Member States to ensure social inclusion, including access to housing, healthcare and social protection. However, permanent integration also requires for example language courses, opportunities to have brought qualifications, such as school leaving certificates, initial vocational training and retraining recognised. If one looks at all measures required for inclusion, one realises that there is an additional requirement for finds amount to 10 - 12 billion euros. Hence, in future, expenditure of the State for the influx of refugees has to be excluded from calculating the structural budget deficit. The EU Commission and the draft report agree as unusual circumstances demand unusual measures.

Employment initiative for refugees is possible

The draft report is now debated and refined in the EU Parliament. The Chamber of Labour will continue making its arguments towards MEPs to ensure that the demand for a separate employment initiative for refugees will become reality. The employment initiative for young people is serving as an example, because in the end it has to be the case that those Member States that make a special effort when admitting refugees and integrating them into the labour market, are particularly benefitting from European support.

Further information:

Draft report on the Integration of Refugees in the Labour market