On Wednesday, December 10th, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Brussels’ latest project to drive immigration to the continent. The Commissioner did not hide the program’s intentions, saying that to prevent illegal immigration, “we must open more safe routes to Europe.”
The project would set up a ‘talent pool’ of non-European workers seeking employment in Europe and match them with European employers looking for applicants with specific skillsets. The goal is to streamline non-EU workers into the continent’s economy and speed up an immigration process already putting pressure on all governments of the old continent.
The proposal was originally presented in 2023 and is part of the Commission’s Skills and Mobility Package. The European Parliament has not yet adopted a final position or passed the regulation in plenary. However, the Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) voted to adopt its report and open interinstitutional negotiations on December 6th.
The next step is a plenary vote on the negotiated text, expected around March 9, 2026. Despite Parliament not yet having had its say, von der Leyen said in her speech that the EU is opening an office in India to start the partnership and gather locals to be sent to the EU for work.
Five countries have already joined the initiative, but the Commission president hopes more countries will follow suit. Von der Leyen also highlighted that this plan could be used as a blueprint for partnerships with other countries as well, not just India. She argued this system will make the European economy stronger and more competitive but did not share why this would be the case.
Another argument for the initiative was that it would take business away from people smugglers bringing illegal immigrants into Europe. But stopping illegal immigration by making it legal is just a play with statistics—the effects will be the same.
