1. Harnessing European Labour Mobility Mentoring and Mobility
Lisbon,
Eric Thode

2. Agenda The case for geographic European labour mobility
Approach of “Harnessing European Labour Mobility”
Scenario description
Policy recommendations
Conclusion
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

3. Potential Benefits and Costs of Labour Mobility
Economic efficiency
Reduce imbalances
Improve innovative capacity in destination country
Bridge cross-cultural differences
Mutual understanding
Foster the European idea
Escape economic hardship
Prospect of upward mobility
Expand one’s own horizon
Cost of moving
Cost of integration
Diminish innovative capacity in country of origin
Social tensions
Psychological costs
Economic losses by leaving social networks
Inadequate employment conditions
Economy
Society
Individual
 Asymmetry in the incidence of benefits and costs
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

4. Source: Eurostat, own calculations.
Unemployment Rates in EU Member States, 2008, 2013 and 2017, monthly figures of March
Standard deviation of unemployment rates
March 2008: 1,95 pp
March 2013: 5,45 pp
March 2017: 4,39 pp
Source: Eurostat, own calculations.
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

5. Firm mobility intentions, 2008-10 and 2011-12
Firm intentions: Planning to move within the next 12 months.
Source: Gallup World Poll.
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

6. Net migration rates for selected EU Member States in selected years, per 1,000 inhabitants
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

7. Approach of Our Study
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

8. Harnessing European Labour Mobility

9. Deregulation, negative integration
Reignited market forces spark growth
Multi-directional, business driven
High volume, short duration
High- and low-skilled
Training and social security
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

10. Misguided political integration Over-regulation chokes off growth
Emigration out of Europe
Low volume, long duration
Non-work related structure
Restore market forces, revive Europe
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

11. Robust Policy Recommendations
Improve EU-wide job matching
Foster a fair deal on European talent
Invest in training and up-skilling
Harnessing European Labour
Mobility
Support mobility-oriented mindsets
Remove adminis-trative barriers
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

12. Recommendations in More Detail I
Improve EU-wide job matching
Further develop EURES
Provide one-stop services beyond pure job matching
Improve recognition of qualifications
Invest in training and up-skilling of mobile workers
Improve language training in countries of origin
Make national skill development policies more compatible
Interlink the ESF objectives “Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility” and “investing in education, skills and lifelong learning”
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

13. Recommendations in More Detail II
Remove administrative barriers
Complete and simplify coordination of social security systems
Assist in dealing with national administrative procedures
Support mobility-oriented mindsets
Provide exchange programmes in school
Prevent abusive behavior by employers and employees
Oppose nationalism
Foster a fair deal on European talent
Encourage circular mobility
Reward positive externalities from mobility
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

14. Additional Recommendations
Recommendations with a focus on the national level
Improve flexibility on national labour markets
Provide financial support for least-mobile groups
Help localities deal with unevenly distributed social burdens of mobility
Invest in infrastructure projects for mobility (with EU support)
Scenario-dependent recommendations
Marketised Europe: Develop an EU-wide minimum wage and working conditions policy
Fragmented Europe: Foster mobility at a regional and bilateral level
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

15. Conclusion: The Link between European Integration and Improving Mobility
Negative Integration
„Freedom from …“
Positive Integration
„Freedom to …“
Non-discrimination
Right to work
Remove barriers
Provide transparency
Provision of services
Elements of active labour market policy
Improve coordination
Harnessing European Labour Mobility

16. Thank you! Eric Thode