Activities of Elena GENTILE related to 2015/2321(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Refugees: social inclusion and integration into the labour market (A8-0204/2016 - Brando Benifei) IT
Amendments (28)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 32 a (new)
Citation 32 a (new)
- having regard to the work and reports of the European Council of Refugees and Exiles,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 38 a (new)
Citation 38 a (new)
- having regard to the Asylum Information Database Annual Report 2014-2015 'Common Asylum System at a turning point: Refugees caught in Europe's solidarity crisis';
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 42 a (new)
Citation 42 a (new)
- having regard to the European Tripartite Social Summit conclusions of 16 March 2016, in particular the Statement of the European Economic and Social Partners on the refugee crisis,
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas social inclusion and integration of refugees into the labour market is a dynamic two-way process representing a challenge and an opportunity, requiring concerted efforts from local administrations, host communities and the refugees themselves, as well as the involvement and support of social partners (representatives of employers and employees’ organisations) and civil society and volunteer organisations;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas successful integration requires not only inclusion in the labour market, but also access to adequate language courses upon arrival, to adequate housing, to education and training, social protection and healthcare, including mental health support;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas labour market conditions within host countries are a determining factor for the successful and durable integration of refugees; whereas unemployment in the EU, in particular youth unemployment, is still at alarming levels;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Dc. whereas granting refugees and asylum seekers effective access to the labour market is important to restoring their human dignity and self-worth and is also cost-efficient, as well as a responsible approach towards public finances, easing the cost borne by Member States and local authorities while also enabling them to become active fiscal contributors;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Dd. whereas discrimination is one of the most significant barrier preventing migrants in general from fully participating to the labour market and society, together with linguistic, educational and institutional factors1a ; _________________ 1a http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/e tudes/note/join/2014/518768/IPOL- EMPL_NT%282014%29518768_EN.pdf
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that significant differences exist in the times and modalities of processing requests for international protection within Member States; highlights that slow and excessively bureaucratic procedures may hinder refugees and asylum seekers’ access to the labour market, as well as the activation of EU programmes and the effective use of funds in this field, as well as increase the refugees and asylum seekers' vulnerability to undeclared work and precarious working conditions;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that granting refugees and asylum seekers effective access to the labour market is important to restoring their human dignity and self-worth and is also cost-efficient, as it would allow them to be self-sufficient and to gain economic independence, which is an essential step for their inclusion into society, and a responsible approach towards public finances, easing the cost borne by Member States and local authorities while also enabling them to become active fiscal contributors, which is generally considered beneficial for their individual growth, development and self- esteem, also bearing in mind that not all refugees and asylum seekers arriving in the EU are able to work due to health, age or other issues;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Acknowledges the importance of the work of civil society and volunteer organisations providing support for empowerment, integration and self- resilience to all asylum seekers and refugees before and during their participation into the labour market;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the need for an early, fair, transparent and free-of-charge assessment of refugees and asylum seekers’ formal and non-formal skills, as well as recognition and validation of their qualifications, in order to develop tailored measures allowing them to make full use of their potential, and to match labour supply and demand in the host countries;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Acknowledges the Commission's efforts to simplify and increase synergies among the available funding instruments; stresses however the need to further develop accessibility, complementary and transparency of these funds with a view to strengthen Member States' reception and integration capacities of refugees and asylum seekers;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Highlights the fact that the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination and equal opportunities should always be ensured when designing and implementing social inclusion and integration policies and measures;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Supports the Commission’s efforts in updating the European Agenda on Migration, in particular by revising the Dublin III Regulation in order to improve solidarity, responsibility-sharing and harmonisation of protection standards among Member States; underlines the positive impact that intra-EU mobility of refugees would have on addressing labour shortages and refugees’ inclusion into the labour market; stresses that further efforts are necessary to create a truly uniform Common European Asylum System and a comprehensive and sustainable legal migration policy in the EU to meet labour market demand in terms of skills, in which social inclusion and active integration policies play a central role;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Deplores the fact that the Commission had to adopt 40 infringement decisions against many Member States for having failed to implement key policies of the Common European Asylum System, including letters of formal notice to 19 Member States for not having taken the necessarycommunicated measures tofor the transposeition of the Reception Conditions Directive, which lays down essential standards on matters such as access to employment, vocational training, schooling and education of minors, food, housing, healthcare, medical and psychological care and provisions for disadvantaged persons; urges the Member States to rectify this situation, in compliance with the principles of solidarity, fair share of responsibility and sincere cooperation as enshrined in the Treaties;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Points out that a lengthy processing of international protection applications, and a failed registration of refugeeasylum seekers at their arrival, not only impedes timely and legal access of refugees and asylum seekers to the labour market but also generates the conditions for the development of undeclared work practices and forms of severe labour exploitation;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Stresses that access to social services such as housing, social and healthcare is a pre-requisite for integration and prevention of exploitation;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that access to justice and protection should be ensured to all victims of exploitation; highlights the crucial work done by trade unions, civil society, economic and social actors and volunteer organisations in reaching out to these workers and in providing them with the information and support they need;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that access to justice and protection should be ensured to all victims of exploitation and discrimination; highlights the crucial work done by trade unions, civil society and volunteer organisations in reaching out to these workers and in providing them with the information and support they need;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the Commission to intensify its efforts in ensuring that refugees and asylum seekers are granted effective access to the labour market, in particular by verifying that Member States do not impose too restrictive conditions for access to employment such as sectoral restrictions, working time restrictions or excessive administrative hurdles, which would render the access to employment unduly difficult;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls on the Member States to ensure early and easy access to quality training, including internships, in order to ensure full integration into our societies and the labour market, taking into considerrecognising and validationg the refugees’ existing skills and competences, talents and know-how;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls on the Member States to ensure early and easy access to quality training, including internships and apprenticeships, in order to ensure full integration into our societies and the labour market, taking into consideration the refugees’ existing skills and competences, talents and know-how;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Highlights that innovative instruments based on new media, such as social media and apps, could play a pivotal role in facilitating access to as well as exchange of information, refugees' registration, skills assessment, job-search, language training, as well as direct assistance to people in need;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls on the Commission to put forward a revision of the Blue Card Directive and to ensure its wider flexibility for beneficiaries of international protection, by taking into account the extraordinary conditions with which refugees and asylum seekers are faced, as well as the needs of the EU labour market, in particular by looking at the scope and the rules on intra-EU mobility of the directive;
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 – subparagraph 1
Paragraph 28 – subparagraph 1
Stresses the need for the Commission and the Member States to step up their efforts in fighting all forms of discrimination, xenophobia and racism, including by raising awareness of anti-discrimination laws and by supporting local authorities, civil society organisations, social partners and National Equality Bodies in their work;
Amendment 364 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 28 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Considers it necessary that adequate training on employment legislation and non-discrimination is provided to refugees as well as to authorities, law enforcement bodies, including labour inspectors, judges, prosecutors and lawyers in order to ensure that refugees are not exploited by undeclared work practices and forms of severe labour exploitation as well discrimination in the workplace;
Amendment 366 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 – subparagraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 28 – subparagraph 1 b (new)
Calls on Member States to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers have access to justice and are supported if they face discrimination in the labour market in line with the principles and safeguards in the Employment Equality Directive and Racial Equality Directive;