European Parliament to stamp out illegal employment of migrants
The European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee has started discussing the detailed provisions of a new EU law intended to stamp out the illegal employment of immigrants.
Maltese MEP Simon Busuttil, the main negotiator of the European People's Party, said that there was a general agreement that this law was necessary since it would send out a clear message to employers that illegal employment could no longer be tolerated. The law, he said, should also send an unequivocal message to would-be illegal immigrants that Europe was not a free-for-all.
"Risking your life to cross to Europe and then end up in modernday slavery is just not worth it," he said.
The law will establish common sanctions for employers who employ immigrants illegally, including tough fines, disqualification from public tenders and the recovery of EU funds and state subsidies. In the most serious cases the law would also provide for criminal penalties.
Among others, criminal sanctions will apply in cases of repeated offences, in cases of the employment of a large number of illegal immigrants and in cases where conditions are particularly exploitative.
Illegal work, across Europe, is often concentrated in the construction, agriculture, cleaning and the hotel and catering sectors.
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Alex Ellul
May 12th 2008, 22:20
@Anas A. Abdilla: The word 'Slave' was used by Dr. Busuttil. I just quoted him. As for childishness: Am I right or wrong to accuse the Libyans of a Mafia-like organisation putting the poor emigrants on rickety boats for them to drown in the sea? Just answer yes or no please. As for their rights, they have a right o=to live decently at their own home. We have a sacrosant duty to help them in any way we can, even bringing them to our shore in an organised and safe way if need be, and I have already said this. What must not go on is the killing, massacre, call it what you want. BUT NOBODY WANTS TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD HARM THE LIBYANS BECAUSE......... I leave it to your intelligence to come to your own conclusion...
Years ago, the Australians had the same problem with the Vietnamese putting people on rickety boats with the scope of reaching the Australian shores for these to be picked up by the Aussie navy. That was until the Aussies found out that the culprits were the Vietnamese mafia and the immigrants were actually rich by Vietnamese standards. The poor just could not afford the boat ride.
Reuben Micallef
May 12th 2008, 21:52
With all respect to Mr.Abdulla, can you tell me exactly what do you mean by saying that Europe was built on slaves? It is true that countries like Italy, Britain, France and Belgium made terrible things to these people and should be ashamed of themselves. Despite this, we must not stop there and say that these countries were built on the 'treasures' of Africa. Not to be silly but Italy's culture and power were to their fullest power during the renaissance times. Certainly not thanks to slaves.
It is the artistic and thinking mind of a country which makes a strong country. The capability of going forward throughout the years. Europe was made thanks to Europeans. Obviously, not everything was nice. Wars, illnesses and murders were present. The Europeans went to the new country of America and took slaves from Africa separating them from their country and families to feed the 'free' people desire of cotton. These which did the most harm to these persons.
Countries like England took everything they could from India and Africa as in Malta was not present any raw material which could be taken. Despite this, Maltese were ruled under the Majesty's crown besides all the centuries in which Malta was governed through a feudalism system. Malta had the capability of facing the problems. It was not easy, but the Maltese people succeeded. However, I cannot understand why so many countries in Africa have not developed a system where people are FREE. Why so many civil wars? Why so many corrupted governments who instead of helping their people, take all they can for themselves and kill those who oppose them? Maybe because when the Europeans went away leaving Africa somehow free, they did not plan to build a good political system.
This problem of Africa won't resolve itself. The mass immigration is not the solution. The future of Africa is in the African people, their thoughts, their will to see their children have a future, the willingness to live. Immigration will just get the situation worse. A large continent like Africa cannot move to another populated continent without experiencing any negative impacts. Europe is not the heaven. It is already happening that international immigrants are not seeing what they had plan to see and experience. Different cultures can live together for a very limited time and to a limited extend. One will eventually 'swallow' the other as the main component of a strong society is the common language, history and pride without excluding heterogeneous thoughts. This will have terrible repercussions on OUR future.
A lot of people in Malta are afraid of the consequences of illegal immigration. No one can blame them . The fear of having a foreigner living in your country is not a joke. In similar times, people start being more 'patriotic'. Start feeling that them and their families which are somehow native to that country are going to be over-taken by the foreigners. Being realistic, it is to say that some immigrants in Malta will stay here. This will unfortunately cause some problems regarding the everyday life. Perhaps new religions. Even the fact that refugees will be no longer considered refugees and therefore expecting social benefits, good jobs together with a European citizenship, in this case a Maltese citizenship creates worries.
Finally, countries in Europe must take a serious action in this regard. Illegal immigration must be considered not as a problem by itself but as a result of not being able to live in your country. Having said that, African persons who immigrate just for economical purposes and to have a European 'style' of life must be assessed and repatriated as soon as possible as it is not fair for those persons who really need solidarity and compassion to be judged over the actions of these ''take an opportunity'' immigrants.
I am open for different points of view.
Thanks
Anas M. Abdulla
May 12th 2008, 18:39
- the problem will explode in our face in a few years time when there will be more ‘ slaves’ than Europeans. - says Mr Ellul ;what a childish unrealistic comment Here is the question (if you are a proud European) was it a civilized action to go to others lands to steal treasures and kill or take their beloved ones to your home forcing them to build your current Europe (slave trade)? now you are talking about reconciliation. Do these people have the right to claim what their fathers worked for so hard ? Now i know many Maltese will argue saying we also suffered from that wrong doings made by the Europeans (english, french portugal , spanish,duatch, etc) but the fact is that this pble are running after their fair rights you must understand that your modern Europe which you joined them recently has a lot of responsibilities to take on shoulder toward these slaves you are talking about . (if am right Maltese pble(whom i respect them) need to learn what joining EU really means other then "burden sharing" , such as responsibility sharing .....ooooooooooooooh
Anas M Abdulla, Marsa.
silvan said
May 12th 2008, 17:44
Who is studying immidration, demographics and realities for the EU ? The labour market is just like any other market and as long as there are people who are prepared to do a job for a price, the EU should legislate accordingly.
Should we not be thinking of legalising immigration from Africa on an expatriate basis just like the Middle East? In this region there is legal immigration for expatriate workes in construction and all other jobs which the locals do not wish to do. These people earn money (albeit their conditions of work are not rosey) and send it back home to help their familiies.
Eventually when they have saved enough they go back to a recovering or (in the case of India) a booming economy. They never get nationality so they are not migrants to a new country.
Why cannot the EU emulate this model and help African would be immigrants fleeing economic desperation and at the same time satisfying a labour market which can only pay low wages ?
Some socialist purists will of course say that that all human beings should get an equal wage hence stamp out illegal employment and protect our jobs for people who do not want to do them anyway.
Michael Debono
May 12th 2008, 15:46
What will happen to me if I where to be found in a E,U, country such as Italy, France, U.K. Germany etc without the necessary identity papers. Curious to have a reply from Dr.S. Busuttil.
The same if I were to land by boat or air in an E.U. country such as Italy, France etc. without the necessary I.D. papers.
I feel that any action taken against me is justified since I ought to be aware what I am risking through my illegal movements. I knew and couldn't care less.
Just as when committing a crime punishable by law such as stealing, whatever the excuse I put forward, such as declaring that I was hungry and had nothing to eat.
Charles Camilleri
May 12th 2008, 14:35
Instead of making it easier for these illegal immigrants to stay here, why not start sending them back? With this rate of immigration in a very few years these people will dominate us as it is already happening in many European countries. Then it will be too to do anything.
Alex Ellul
May 12th 2008, 14:06
So the EU is trying to treat the effect of a problem and not the problem itself. The EU must stamp out illegal immigration from its source; that is at the Libyan coast. This modern trading in human flesh, that is, modern slavery, must be fought tooth and nail, otherwise the problem will explode in our face in a few years time when there will be more ‘ slaves’ than Europeans.
Knowing that in Libya everything is state controlled, then it must also be the case that the trade in human flesh is being orchestrated, albeit, discreetly, by people in power. These people in power have so much clout that they can even control or at least the impression is given such, our politicians in Europe. Logically one gets to the conclusion that there are politicians in Europe who are being pressured to do nothing to stamp out the problem while trying to convince us that they are trying to do their best to stop illegal immigration by carrying out search and rescue missions. These search and rescue missions just gives more energy to the perpetrators, knowing full well that the poor immigrants will be picked up by the European forces as soon as these are just out of Libyan waters. We might just as well get them out on a plane from a Libyan airport, thus saving a lot of money from search and rescue missions and removing ourboys in uniform from the risk of life and limb while being out there in helicopters, planes and patrol boats. Europe must get its act together. I know that our man in Europe is doing his utmost to solve the problem, but I think that he is alone.
R. Schembri
May 12th 2008, 12:33
We'll soon have most building contractors and most cleaning contractors and several local councils having to fork out a decent wage to immigrants they employ at a pittance. I'm surprised (well, I'm not, really) that we have to wait for the EU to twist our arm when we already have the laws in place and the authorities (Department of Industrial and Employment Relations, ETC) to monitor and enforce the law.
Paul Barrett
May 12th 2008, 12:04
Although I can see the reasoning behind this move - i.e., to disuade illegal immigrants, and abuse/slavery as well as the spin off of taking work from the unemployed; you must be careful that if you squeeze too hard you will have the counter productive reaction that if they can not honestly earn a few cents to buy something, they will steal it.
I am sure that most of these people that have risked so much to get to wherever they are would rather work (all be it off the books) for a crust of bread rather than steal it or have to live off charity.
This is a very difficult problem - yes stop major abuse but temper it with a bit of understanding. It is very much a no win situation.