Countless reports warn us about our ageing societies and declining birth rates. Yet, European leaders do not act on it, out of fear of being labelled “too pro-migration”.
But today the European Commission launched a new Visa Strategy. It acknowledges the reality: if we in Europe want to remain competitive, we need to attract talent and step up in the global race for skills.
Visa policy plays a key role in this. We have to start with the basics: make procedures shorter and easier. People who want to apply for a visa often get lost in a maze of different, national procedures.
As Volt, we have argued for easier visa procedures, to make Europe more attractive to international workers.
So, I am pleased to see that in the Visa Strategy the Commission clearly advocates for simplifying procedures, including a possible Omnibus approach. This is a step in the right direction.
Without simplification, all our efforts to attract skilled workers (such as the EU Talent Pool) risk being undermined by inefficient visa procedures.
And let’s be honest, this strategy comes at the right moment. We can learn from developments in the United States what not to do: pursue ever more aggressive migration policies and become a hostile destination.
We, Europe, can present ourselves as the opposite: a continent that welcomes (much needed) talent.