29/01/2014 Session
European states should do more to correct “misconceptions” about migrants, in particular those propagated by certain politicians and the media, since the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that they are a benefit to society, according to the Parliamentary Assembly.
In a resolution based on a report by Athina Kyriakidou (Cyprus, SOC), PACE pointed out that migrants are not a major burden for the public purse, according to OECD figures. On the contrary, they can fill labour shortages, help to counter population decline and an ageing society, and are a source of cultural enrichment through literature, film, art, sports, food and fashion.
Debating a separate report by Tineke Strik (Netherlands, SOC), the Assembly said so-called “integration tests” for migrants – used more and more by some countries – could in fact hinder integration and even foster exclusion. If they result in cutting down the number of migrants arriving or staying, they are “a step backwards”, the parliamentarians said.