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10 June 2021

Dear John xxxxxx,

Tomorrow, the European Commission will mark a new chapter in EU cooperation on migration with third countries with the formal launch of its Talent Partnerships. These partnerships will seek to combine legal mobility pathways for workers from countries in Europe's neighbourhood, Africa, and the Western Balkans alongside broader investments in vocational education and training, diaspora engagement, and labour market analysis.

As my colleague Kate Hooper explains in this new MPI Europe commentary, the 'talent' framing represents a much-needed shift towards viewing these partnerships as part of a broader migration and skills strategy, and away from seeing them primarily as a vehicle to reduce incentives to migrate irregularly.

As she writes: 'The Talent Partnerships come at a critical moment for Europe. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe was falling behind in the global race to attract, develop, and retain the talented workers needed to drive economic growth. Now, as Europe emerges from its dual public-health and economic crises, the need for smart and nimble migration policies that can admit non-EU nationals with in-demand skills and help address emerging shortages is even more acute'.

The commentary underscores that the success of the partnerships will rest on the degree to which European employers and partner countries see them as in their interest and reflecting shared priorities. 'All too often, cooperation with third countries on migration ends up focusing on destination-country needs, with less attention paid to the economic priorities of third countries', it notes.

You can read the commentary here: www.migrationpolicy.org/news/european-union-talent-partnerships.

With best regards,

Hanne Beirens, PhD,
Director, Migration Policy Institute Europe

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MPI Europe
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