Managed Migration in Romania : A Bridge between the Black Sea Area and the European Union

1. West University of Timişoara (UVT), Romania Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence Timișoara Centre for Migration and Mobility Studies - SISEC Managed Migration in Romania: A Bridge between the Black Sea Area and the European Union Prof. Grigore SILAŞI Prof. Ioan TALPOȘ Ovidiu Laurian SIMINA “Black Sea Area in the Changing World – Old Issues in a New Bottle” Session 1 – Political Economy of Labour Migration in the Black Sea Area University of Shizuoka, Japan – October 29, 2011

2. Romania – ABridge between the Black Sea Areaand the European Union TOPIC • As we entered the second decade of the XXI century, international migration has become a major reality that shapes the features of the world of today and tomorrow: • accompanying the movement of capital • revealing the disorders and inequalities of the world • challenging the political leaders who must manage the phenomenon and its consequences and explain to public opinion often divided on such subjects Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

3. Romania – ABridge between the Black Sea Areaand the European Union Content • The Black Sea Area between two macro spaces – Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian • What is the European Union? What is the Black Sea Area? • Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • attraction and rejection; disruption of migration trends • Romania as EU external border and its strategic role in the Black Sea Area • better management / policies or better understanding of the forces driving migration? • lessons to share – Moldova Republic, A Told Story Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

4. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

5. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces • The two macro-space – defined by the following dimensions: Demographic Economic Scientific Trade Financial Competitiveness motivation Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

6. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces • The Euro-Atlantic macro-space – dominated by the EU (and the US) • A Space - wider than the European Union territory • The European Union – space of freedom, security, justice and welfare • attraction for migration flows Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

7. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces Two macro-spaces: dialog or confrontation? • The Euro-Atlantic macro-space • democracy • freedom • security • justice • WELFARE labour migration • The Euroasian macro-space • resources (oil, gas, drugs) • instability • frozen conflicts • authoritarian states labour migration Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

8. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces Two macro-spaces: dialog or confrontation? The Euro-Atlantic macro-space Nuclear Powers – US, France, UK Security Council of UN – US, France, UK Antimissile system - at the external border of the macro-space Population GDP (GDP/capita) Resources Army labour migration The Euroasian macro-space Nuclear Powers – Russia, China, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel Security Council of UN – Russia, China 3 BRIC countries – Russia, China, India (resources and real economy) Population GDP (GDP/capita) Resources Army Dimension Demographic Economic Scientific Trade Financial Competitiveness motivation labour migration Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

9. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces • The Eurasian macro-space – dominated by Russia, China, Japan • who leads Asia – rules the World! • The increase of Asia’s economic development – the migration issue: attraction of Asia • Asia’s role in changing of (labour) migration dynamics and structure Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

10. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces The new centres of power • on the way to “the Asian Century”, an irreversible political / economic shift in global power from West to East was noted • the result: the world economic centre was moved from Atlantic to Pacific • even if countries as China, Korea, Japan, India and Vietnam don’t share an ‘Asian’ economic system and don’t have a decision centre or coordination institutions (the EU model…), they used the recent financial crisis wisely, reinforcing their economies • Asia managed to turn globalization for its own economic [and political] interest… Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

11. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces • historically, the main drivers for economic globalization were the Western / developed countries; in the XXI century, the developing countries contribute for more than 50% to the world GDP • Asian countries [and China in particular] are now in position to influence and reshape the global economy • the new centres of power: China and India contribute to the global growth; economic, political and social impact of their investments in Africa and rest of the world • the Rising Tigers → changed the World into one with three poles: USA – EU – Asia / China[both India and Japan face a “Chinese paradox”: China is their single largest trading partner, the new geostrategic threat, and the future regional hegemony] Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

12. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces • China took over the lead: Japan’s slow economy growth shifted investments and production to China • Japan turns to a “special relationship” with the new great power; the rise and the decrease of Japan is close linked to importing foreign workforce in the national economy • the end of the “Western world” and the birth of a new global order – China will dominate the world culturally and politically as well as economically [China, the “new America”?] • the way to/from (Asia) China passes through the Black Sea (Area) – the new ‘Silk Road’ by contemporary means Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

13. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces • What (where) is the Black Sea Area? • more than the geographical Black Sea shores • IN BETWEEN the two macro-spaces • BELONGING TO BOTH macro-spaces • Asia’s economic growth results in increase interest in ‘Europe’ – Asia comes to Europe • The strategic position of the Black Sea Area – the first ‘strip’ of European land conquered by Asia in the global fight for the World supremacy • The Black Sea – the new EU border (2007) • Threats, Challenges, Opportunities; • Why the Black Sea Area should not turn itself into a “black hole”. Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

14. The Black Sea Areabetween two Macro Spaces • Black Sea Area and the EU – strategic importance since RO+BG accession (2007) • eastern border for the enlarged EU (future Schengen border) • a door for immigration, criminality, terrorism, other threats (i.e. frozen conflicts in the region; “playground” for military maritime forces, including the US Navy) • huge market for EU exports (i.e. Turkey, more than 50% of imports are coming from EU countries) • crossroad for oil-pipeline routes (Nabucco and South Stream projects) • EU Neighbourhood Policy – the Black Sea Synergy Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

15. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

16. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • migrants – economic engine in every region of the world, as foreign workers fit unmet demand; a increasing role of international migration for the Asia [China] growth? • labour migration and economic development nexus • remittances – the largest source of income for many developing countries The increase of Asia’s economic attraction: the migration issue Eurasia’s development ↔ labour migration Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

17. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • increase in Asia’s development results in increase in labour migration flows to Asia – labour follows capital and goods • in absolute numbers, largest concentration of immigrants is in Europe, followed by Asia and North America • Black Sea Area – crossroad of migration flows (capital, goods, people) • new trend: feminization of migration; human trafficking is one of the most profitable transnational crime (forced migration is a component of feminization of migration) • from Asia to Europe, but also from Europe to Asia • countries from the Black Sea Area – well represented in the transnational crime / human trafficking The increase of Asia’s economic attraction: the migration issue Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

18. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • migrants returning “home”? • historical, the European population is said to be a result of Asia → Europe migration. Currently the Asia → Europe flux still continues • a future strong Europe → Asia migration stream should be recorded? • Raveinstein’s (1885) migration laws revised? • “even in case of countries of dispersion / population to spare for other countries, there takes place an inflow of migrants across that border furthest away from the great centres of absorption” • “each main current of migration produce a compensating counter current” • An open question: may be the contrary flow considered as return, over the history? The increase of Asia’s economic attraction: the migration issue  Silași, Pirtea, Simina – From the “Strawberry Jam” to the “Sushi-bar”: Romanian Migration in the Context of Asia’s Increasing Economic Role (Beijing, 2010) Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

19. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • migration and more – threats, criminality, terrorism • terrorist threat (from) the Middle East, Cen. Asia • the organized crime attempt to enter Europe from Asia (including through the Black Sea Area) • discovery of oil deposits in the Caspian Sea • great strategic importance of the area – the global fight for resources • eastward expansion of the globalization (→ China) • fair reasons for NATO, EU and other Occidental entities – more or less close to the region – to pay attention to the Black Sea Area Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

20. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • A ghost is haunting the World – the ghost of (global) terrorism • during the XIX-XX centuries, the specter of communism was haunting the Europe; is the history written by same actors? • in the XXI century, the global actors guard the borders to stop ‘the terrorism threat’. Can (really) the terrorism to be stopped by border guards at the external EU frontier (land or sea)? • A border stops IMMIGRANTS (and migration), not (real) terrorists! • Russia – the same space, with different names • for former URSS countries – ‘a nearby foreign country’ (policy of domination); influence of attitudes for migration / main attraction • for the EU – the new ‘Neighborhood’, where Union values ​​to be exported (incentives for growth for EU products’ demand?) and where the would-be (e)migrants to be stacked – maintaining migrants outside the EU space of welfare Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

21. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • The Black Sea Area - the middle of contemporary World • connection of the two macro-spaces • northern and southern Europe meet at the Black Sea • the confluence of all major power centres • neighborhood with the Caspian Sea area – the 3rd great world petroliferous area • control, exploration, transport of energy/resources – a main debate subject with the European Union Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

22. Migration flows in the Black Sea Area • The Black Sea Area is more and more important for its role: • playground for confrontation of the two contrary tendencies • Attraction of the European Union features (freedom, justice, security, welfare) • Increasing of Asia’s economy Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

23. Romania and the Black Sea Area Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

24. Romania and the Black Sea Area • The Black Sea is part of the Romanian security space • Freedom of access through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, control of the Danube Delta and the free circulation on the Danube are factors that guarantee the Romanian connection with both Europe and the planetary ocean, commercial prosperity, and especially independence and sovereignty • History reveals that when the Black Sea was closed, dominated by one power, Romania was dominated by that power, while Pontic open space was associated with periods of prosperity Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

25. Romania and the Black Sea Area • Romania's position at the edge of the European Union is a thumbnail image of the Black Sea • a point of intersection of cultures, geopolitical areas and trade routes • place where the Central Europe meets the Balkan Peninsula, and respectively the Middle East • border between the Orthodox world and the Catholic -Occidental one, respective the Christian religion and Islam • the buffer zone between • the Slavs and Western European nations • the European Union and Russia • empires and many other nations (from historically point of view) Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

26. Romania and the Black Sea Area • Romania – situated in Black Sea area, is meant to counteract the attraction of Euro-Atlantic space (freedom, security, justice and welfare – pull factors) for the Euroasian population (labour) • the economic growth of Asia's provides support for the Romania’s role which comes from European Member status to counter migration flows from Asia (via Black Sea Area) • i.e. a recorded decrease of illegal migration influx of Bangladeshi and Indians at the Romanian borders few years ago was related not to the enforcement of the border but with the decision of United Emirates (Dubai) to invite migrant labourers from India and neighbouring countries – 80% of the Dubai population is formed by (legal) immigrants of Sri Lanka, India and Bangladeshi origin Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

27. Romania and the Black Sea Area • Romania – Instruments to manage migration; strategies, local actors • implementation of the newest / most advanced EU requirements in the field • regional cooperation, strong commitment and involvement in the EU policies in the Black Sea Area; own initiatives related to the space • Better managing or REAL UNDERSTANDING? • A Told Story – the Moldova Republic faces the same experiences as Romania on its way to the EU accession and integration • mass labour (e)migration, distortions on the labour market, need of import of labour forces… Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

28. Conclusion– labour flowsin the Black Sea Area • Changing of economic [and political] world power centres influences the labour migration patterns in the Black Sea Area - labour vs. capital/goods • Eurasia attracts with the growing economy – labour (population) cannot drive against economic trends – the reverse influx of migration – the Age of return migration? • Romania – the EU country with strategic interest in the Danube-Black Sea region • ‘Pooling and sharing’ experiences – migration management framework and development – told stories • Relation between Asia’s growth and Romania’s role in ‘guarding’ EU against the ‘migration’ threat: • the need of EU economic development (including migration) vs. theelectoral debate in the major EU countries (2012)? Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union

29. West University of Timişoara (UVT), Romania Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence Timișoara Center for Migration and Mobility Studies • Thank you for your attention! • Prof. Grigore SILAŞI, Jean Monnet Professor, West University of Timişoara • Prof. Ioan TALPOȘ, Rector, West University of Timişoara • Ovidiu Laurian SIMINA, PhD student, Timișoara Center for Migration and Mobility Studies (UVT) / Ministry of Administration and Interior* * Contact: ovidiu.simina@migratie.ro Romania: A Bridge between Black Sea Area and the European Union