Labour Markets Performance and Migration Flows in Arab Mediterranean Countries: Determinants and Effects

The European University Institute (RSCAS) was selected by the European Commission to carry out a Study on “Labour Markets Performance and Migration Flows in Arab Mediterranean Countries: Determinants and Effects” (Nº ECFIN/D/2008/036). Scientific Director: Philippe Fargues Project Coordinator: Iván Martín Objectives The objectives of the Study are two-fold: to analyze the key labour market determinants of migration flows from selected Arab Mediterranean Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the Occupied Palestinian Territories), with a particular emphasis on demographic pressures, wage differentials and relative income disparities with the EU, employment policies, labour market flexibility and unemployment rates; this analysis includes the impact of migration on the labour markets of Arab Mediterranean Country (AMCs) labour markets; to propose a series of specific recommendations to improve the design of the EU’s migration policies towards AMCs and policy options available to them for the management of mismatches between labour supply and demand. Team of Experts for the Study Philippe Fargues, Migration Programme Director, RSCAS-EUI Iván Martín, Project Coordinator, RSCAS-EUI, and ICEI, Spain Samir Aita, General Manager, A Concept Mafhoum Rafik Bouklia, Université d’Oran, Algeria. Jad Chaaban, American University of Beirut, Lebanon Brahim El-Mouaatamid, Research Assistant, CARIM Project, EUI-RSCAS Thoraya El-Rayyes, ILO Arab States Regional Office, Jordan Tamirace Fakhoury, Research Assistant, CARIM Project, EUI-RSCAS Larabi Jaidi, Université Mohammed V de Rabat, Morocco Nathalie Jouant, Research Assistant, CARIM Project, EUI-RSCAS Mustafa Khawaja, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Palestine Azzam Mahjoub, Université de Tunis, Tunisia Francesca Marchetta, University of Florence Mohammad Omari, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Palestine Ibrahim Saif, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Fatiha Talahite, CNRS, Université Paris 13 Nord, France Alessandra Venturini, Executive Director, CARIM, EUI, and Universitá de Torino Jackline Wahba, University of Southampton, UKThe main objective of this Study is to analyze the key labour market determinants of migration flows from selected Arab Mediterranean Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the Occupied Palestinian Territories) and the impact of outward migration on the labour markets of Arab Mediterranean Countries (AMCs). This has been done mainly on the basis of the evidence and analysis produced by the two Thematic Background Papers and the 8 National Background Papers commissioned for the Study. In turn, the National Background Papers are deliberately based on national statistical data sources: this makes comparability less straightforward, but has the merit of using original data available at the local level, where they are collected and generated.European Commission, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs © European Union, 2010Volume I: Final Report and Thematic Background Papers [in English]; Volume II: National Background Papers Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisa)[in French]; Volume III: National Background Papers Mashreq: Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria) [in English