EU agreement on immigration remains a distance away

Significance

It has yet to win over sceptical member states in southern and Central and Eastern Europe. However, there has been some progress on immigration with countries approving the revised Blue Card Directive which should open more pathways for legal migration.

Impacts

• A fresh spike in illegal migration could have a defining impact on elections in Germany and France.
• The Eastern Mediterranean will be the most vulnerable route for illegal migration over the coming years.
• To reduce demand for foreign workers, some EU countries could try to incentivise residents to have more children.