Contribution to the debate on the communication by the Commission on a community immigration policy

European Churches expressed concerns about integration of migrants into European societies, the need for increased cooperation between the European Union and countries of origin, the need to assure that the human dignity of migrants is maintained and that the right to free movement is recognized in their response to the European Commission's “Communication on a Community Integration Policy."  Europe has had a long history of migration not only within the borders of what is now the European Union but around the world to the many colonised nations, and thus, currently being unwilling to welcome migrants is contradictory to the very history of the European Union. Cooperation between host countries and countries of origin, they believe, can play an important part in the development of countries of origin, but migrants must feel comfortable going back and forth between countries and repatriation must be voluntary, for this to happen. They also stress that equal rights and admission policies must be uniform throughout Europe and that work permits should be granted when migrants gain legal long-term residency permits, which is beneficial to all of society, as migrants will then become contributing members.   

* The exact date of this document is not known.  The approximate date provided is May 2001.