SEGURIDAD EN LAS ESTRUCTURAS METÁLICAS

The general EU integration policies, presented above, cannot be analyzed in

reference to citizenship, education, and labor market structure. They are unique for each EU member state and will be discussed in reference to Poland and Germany in the next sections of this chapter. However, the EU education and labor market frameworks within the Open Method of Coordination set standards for the EU countries and may influence their

management of the process of integrating immigrant youth. It is beyond the scope of this paper to analyze the entire EU education and employment strategy. Only particular areas of the recently developed European Youth Strategy, Lifelong Learning Program, and the European Employment Guidelines will be discussed as instances of the EU’s indirect integration measures for immigrant youth.

The European Youth Strategy dates back to the first framework for European cooperation on the issue of youth from 2002574 and the European Youth Pact from 2005.575 The Youth Pact is a political instrument which aims to promote the participation of young Europeans in three main fields: employment, integration and social advancement; education, training and mobility; and reconciliation of family life and working life. The EU for the first time took into account the existence and circumstances of non-European youth residing in the EU as part of the EU Youth Strategy in EU Youth Report 2009. The report provides numbers of non – European immigrants and acknowledges their contributions and the need for

integration measures, focusing mainly on the EU funded project UP2Youth which targets young immigrants' transition from school to work.576 Moreover, the report draws attention to the unequal access to opportunities by those with a migrant background, referring to them as “third culture kids,” a rather controversial phrase.577

The EU Youth Report, which should be regarded as a milestone in addressing immigrant youth at the EU level, is a supporting document for the new cooperation framework outlined in the strategy Youth – Investing and Empowering from 2009. The document presents new new EU youth strategy with eight fields for action (among them

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Council of the European Union. (2002, June 27). Resolution Regarding the Framework of European Cooperation within the Youth Field, 2002/C 168/02.

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During the meeting of the European Council in Lisbon (March 2000), the Heads of State and Government launched a Lisbon Strategy aimed at making the European Union (EU) the most competitive economy in the world and achieving full employment by 2010. The European Youth Pact was adopted as part of the revised Lisbon Strategy in 2005. See Council of the European Union. (2005). Presidency Conclusions 7619/1/05.

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The UP2Youth project was funded under the 6th framework Program of the European Union from May 2006 till April 2009 and involved research partners from 15 countries (Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Romania, Austria, Slovakia and Ireland), For more see Directorate-General for Education and Culture (2009). EU Youth Report 2009. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

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As in the case of “third country nationals,” the prefix “third” establishes a controversial ranking of youth. Employing such a categorization, the question arises who are the “first” and “second” youth with a migration background?

education, employment, and entrepreneurship), recognizing young people as one of the most vulnerable groups in society and acknowledging the need for a youth policy. The proposed youth policy is based on principles similar to those of the AIM policy proposed in my dissertation. As the EU Council states, youth policy can only develop in cross-sector

cooperation at national and regional levels of policymaking.578 Unfortunately, the EU Strategy itself does not refer to immigrant youth directly.

In the field of education and training the EU youth supportive measures basically refer to the Lifelong Learning Program, and various International co-operations in education and training with non EU countries.579 There are also common European frameworks and tools to enhance the recognition and quality of competencies and qualifications, which by the same token comprise the EU transparency education framework for non EU countries. The

European Qualifications Framework (EQF) establishes eight reference levels describing what a learner knows, understands and is able to do, so-called “learning outcomes.” Each level of national qualification in the EU member states should correspond to the EU reference levels, ranging from basic (Level 1) to advanced (Level 8). This should ease a comparison between national qualifications, enhance recognition of qualifications and ensure that people do not have to repeat their education/training if they move to another country. The EQF applies to all types of education, training and qualifications, from school education to academic,

professional and vocational. The recognition of foreign qualifications in all EU member states is regulated by the Professional Qualifications Directive and supported by the EU NARIC Network (National Academic Recognition Information Centers).580

As regards EU employment strategies, the European Employment Guidelines set out common binding regulations for the EU member states in reference to both young people and immigrants. Accordingly, integrating immigrants and minorities is considered “particularly essential.” The EU member states should guarantee that no young person is left behind

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In addition, similar to the AIM principles, the EU Council warns against duplicating existing integration mechanisms and calls for improving “knowledge-base and effective dissemination of best practice.” See Commission of the European Communities. (2009). An EU Strategy for Youth – Investing and Empowering. COM(2009) 200 final, p. 12.

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The following programs exemplify EU cooperation with third country nationals:

- Erasmus Mundus: enhancing quality in higher education through scholarships and academic co- operation worldwide;

- Jean Monnet: promoting teaching and research on European integration; - Tempus: building cooperation between the EU and neighboring regions;

- Edulink: capacity-building and regional integration in higher education in ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) states and regions;

- Alfa: supporting co-operation between higher education institutions in the EU and Latin America. 580

European Parliament and Council. (2005). Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications 2005/36/EC.

The NARIC network is an initiative of the European Commission, created in 1984. The network consists of national centers, which aim to provide information concerning the academic recognition of diplomas and periods of study undertaken in other countries.

Other EU measures in the field of recognition of qualifications in the EU member states concern the development of Europass, the European Credit System for VET (ECVET), and the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for VET (EQARF).

without training or employment and that the employment gaps between third-country nationals and EU citizens be reduced “in line with any national targets.”581 Since the EU Employment Policy is based on the Open Method of Coordination, these guidelines leave the EU member states much room to maneuver. Fortunately, recent trends point to a further pro- immigration discourse in EU employment strategies. The guidelines for 2010 call for a policy of inclusive growth, “removing barriers to labor market participation especially for women, older workers, young people, disabled and legal migrants.” The guidelines should be implemented through National Reform Programs on the part of the EU member states,582 which will be monitored by the Commission. The Programs should be developed in accordance with the EU labor market strategy of flexicurity and the new Europe 2020 Strategy for Jobs and Growth.583 First, the principle of flexicurity supports the transition of workers into better jobs, "upward mobility" and the development of their talents.

Consequently it harmonizes with the Positive Youth Development strategy. Both strategies could be complimentary in the EU member states’ policies for integrating immigrant youth into the labor market. Secondly, the first target of Europe 2020 Strategy for Jobs and Growth refers to integration of immigrants and young people into the labor market.584 Out of seven ”flagship initiatives” to reach the targets of Europe 2020 Strategy, three of them are

particularly important for immigrant youth integration into the labor market: Youth on the Move, An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs, and European Platform against Poverty. The last one refers directly to immigrants, aiming to develop a new promising agenda for their

integration in order to enable them to “take full advantage of their potential.”585 Recent developments in the EU employment strategy demonstrate that the

importance of immigrants and young people has been acknowledged in both the general EU education and employment frameworks, in addition to direct integration policies within the DG Home Affairs. The success of the EU supportive mechanism for immigrant integration

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“Every unemployed person should be offered a job, apprenticeship, additional training or other employability measure; in the case of young persons who have left school within no more than 4 months by 2010 and in the case of adults within no more than 12 months.” The Guidelines were approved by the Council in 2008 for a three year period.

Council of the European Union. (2008). Council Decision on Guidelines for the Employment Policies of the Member States 10614/2/08 REV 2.

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Council of the European Union. (2010). Council Decision on Guidelines for the Employment Policies of the Member States Part II of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines SEC(2010) 488. 583

“Flexicurity aims at ensuring that EU citizens can enjoy a high level of employment security, i.e. the possibility to easily find a job at every stage of active life and have a good prospect for career

development in a quickly changing economic environment.”

Commission of the European Communities. (2007). Towards Common Principles of Flexicurity. COM(2007) 359.

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Of five core targets of EU Strategy 2020 the first one aims “to raise to 75% the employment rate for women and men aged 20-64, through the greater participation of young people, older workers and low-skilled workers and the better integration of legal migrants.”

European Council. (2010). Conclusions EUCO 13/10. 585

For more on all flagship initiatives see Commission of the European Communities. (2010). Europe 2020. A Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth. COM(2010) 2020.

depends in part on the coordination of different DGs on the issue of immigrant integration. However, it is generally up to the national modes of integration of the EU member states and local integration management as to how these EU principles and guidelines on integration will benefit immigrant youth in the EU countries.