Migration can reduce the economic impact of ageing populations in Europe, according to Oxford University demographer Chris Wilson.
While migration was not the solution to ageing populations, it was one way to offset the economic effects of having fertility levels below what is required to replace retiring workers, Dr Wilson said.
“Ageing populations are a predicament we have to learn to live with,” he told delegates at the Migration Dynamics of a European Island State conference in St Julian’s yesterday.
The conference was organised by the European Migration Network, which falls under the remit of the EU Home Af-fairs Department.
Dr Wilson explained there was general consensus among demographers that European women needed to have an average of 2.1 children to replace the previous generation and keep population levels stable.
Ageing populations are a predicament we have to learn to live with
In Malta women have an average of 1.49 children, while the level for southern and eastern Europe is between 1.3 and 1.5 children.
“We need to look at migration as part of the process of demographic renewal,” Dr Wilson said.
“Rapid growth or declines in population can have a very destabilising effect.”
Southern Europe was seeing moderate population growth at present as low fertility rates were offset by high migration, Dr Wilson said.
While countries such as Malta and Italy were once big exporters of migrants, their roles have now been reversed, the Oxford academic noted.
He also pointed out the regional disparities of migration dispersal in larger member states, particularly the UK, where migrants tended to settle in London and the southeast.
“When [UK Prime Minister] David Cameron says Britain is full, he really means the southeast. Scotland, Wales and the north of England need migrants,” he said.
Another speaker, Italian trade unionist Luca Visentini, said the marginalisation of migrants pushed them towards irregular or illegal employment.
EU governments should focus on integrating migrants in the liberal market as repressive measures actually damaged the economy, said Mr Visentini, secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation.
Short-term financial and political costs of a more open policy towards migration would be offset by the long-term benefits of integrating migrants into the liberal market, and having them fill gaps in the workforce and pay taxes, Mr Visentini said.