The EU on Tuesday said it had begun collaborating with Nigeria and other West African countries to develop “an ordered approach” to migration through its Blue Card.
Dr David Macrae, the EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, stated this in Abuja at a media luncheon organised in conclusion of his tour to Nigeria.
The Blue Card is an approved EU-wide work permit backed by the EU Parliament in November 2008, which also recommended safeguards against brain drain.
It allows high-skilled non-EU citizens to work and live in any country within the EU, excluding Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, which are not subject to the proposal.
Macrae said that enhancing migration services would promote development in both regions.
He said that the EU had a mission from its border agency in Nigeria to implement the agreement signed by both parties toward enhancing migration services.
“We have in the country at the moment, a mission from Frontex, which is the European agency responsible for the border.
“An agreement was signed with Nigeria in Warsaw, in January 2012 which is a move towards working closely with the Nigeria migration services.
“When we talk about migration to Europe, people think about visas and the problems they have getting visas.
“We want to try and develop in conjunction with the Nigerian authorities and the authorities of other West African states, an ordered approach to migration.
“This is linked with development and we have this idea of the blue card, the Americans have the green card, which will give Nigerians better opportunities to find work in Europe.
The Blue Card proposal offers a one-track procedure for non-EU citizens to apply for a work permit, which would be valid for up to two-years, but can be renewed thereafter.
Individuals who are granted a blue card will be given a series of rights, such as favourable family reunification rules.
The proposal also encourages geographic mobility within different EU member states, for those who have been granted a blue card.
On the EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, Macrae said Nigeria was expected to play a leading role within ECOWAS to promote EPA.
He described Nigeria as a major driver towards the promotion of peace and development in sub-Saharan Africa and called for increased cooperation between the EU and Nigeria to address challenges to development.
He said: “For Europe we are concerned to see stability and peace in this part of the world. We would like to work in other areas such as the fight against terrorism, corruption, human rights and democracy.
“I’m hoping that we can find common ground with Nigeria on trade policy; as you know we have a partnership agreement which we have been trying to put in place with the whole of West Africa.
“We would like Nigeria to play a leading role within ECOWAS to put that partnership agreement in place and the sooner the better because there is also the prospect of more inward investment.
“If ECOWAS and EU countries are working towards the liberalisation of trade, this would allow certain trade advantages.
“We need to have certain partnership agreement to show to the outside world why certain countries can enjoy benefits while other do not enjoy.
“That was the origin of the EPA and this has not been properly understood,” he said.
In 2000, ACP countries and the EU under the Cotonou Agreement opted for a trade and development relationship covering trade in goods, services and development cooperation.
The EPA allows countries to export goods to the EU without tariffs or maximum quotas, under World Trade Organisation’s rules.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that only one West African country, Cote d’Ivoire, signed an interim EPA, which provides for duty and quota free access to the EU.
Neither agreements have, however, been ratified by any ECOWAS member state. (NAN)
