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CIAO DATE: 4/5/2007
Policies for Migration and Development: A European perspective
Louka T. Katseli, Robert E.B. Lucas, Theodora Xenogiani
October 2006
Abstract
Managing migration has become a priority for policy makers both in developed and developing countries; it is a difficult challenge indeed. Large immigration or emigration flows relative to domestic population’s impact on almost all aspects of an economy and society: family structures, community life, educational and health systems, labour markets, security systems, governance and institutions. Despite the inherent difficulties in policy making, there is a growing awareness that if management can be improved, important gains for both migrant-receiving (“host”) and migrant-sending (“home”) countries may be generated. Effective management can furthermore mitigate the risks associated with migration.
This Policy Brief highlights the importance of interlinking migration and development policies towards a more effective management of migration. This does not imply that migration policies do not need to take into consideration other major domestic policy concerns including employment, vulnerability, security or social cohesion; nor does it imply that domestic policy priorities need to become secondary to development objectives of partner countries. Instead, the main policy message of the Policy Brief is that joint consideration of migration and development issues including development assistance could facilitate policy making and make difficult trade-offs easier to handle.
