"Migrants in our societies: Policy choices for the 21st Century" - Conference of European Ministers responsible for Migration Affairs - Helsinki (Finland), 16 – 17 September 2002

Opening of the Conference and statement by Mr Harri Holkeri

Government ministers

Representatives of governments, international organizations and observer countries

Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

The General Secretary and representatives of the Council of Europe

Ladies and gentlemen

Representatives of the media

It is my great honour as the representative of the Finnish Government to open the Council of Europe’s Seventh Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Migration. We are pleased that you have chosen Finland and Helsinki as the venue for the Conference. This event, the various aspects of which will serve to unify Europe, is being held during an important and new phase of our common history. Our continent finds itself at a historical turning point that will require increased capacity on our part to develop interaction and deepen cooperation between governments and people in Eastern Europe, Central Europe and Western Europe in the social, economic, cultural and political spheres. We must be able to combine knowledge and resources and to allow basic human rights and values to become beacons for Europe in the new millennium. Consequently, we must also be able to exert an impact on the world beyond Europe and to work together with it to strengthen human rights.

Migration from Europe has been extensive; it has moulded North and South America and Oceania and the countries that have evolved there in the course of a lengthy historical process. In practice, all the countries of Europe have supplied immigrants. Today, Europe comes face to face with the African and Asian continents and the people there, and also confronts its own internal flows of migration. The histories and backgrounds of Europe and its nation states are in fact ethnically much more diverse than would appear to be the case at first glance.

As a social phenomenon, migration concerns us all, either directly or more indirectly. Europe and the rest of the world cannot end the movement of people, nor do they have a real need to do so. In broader terms, migration has strengthened the world and interaction between different parts of it. Europe faces diverse pressure from migration, some of which the result of war, a deficiency of social and cultural rights, distress, and violations of human rights. Due to demographic trends and changes in age structure throughout Europe, the debate on migration policy focuses today on the needs of working life and related immigration and migration. It is probable that varying degrees of competition for labour will arise within Europe. Here we are dealing with people having a wide range of needs. Europe can regulate the movement of people seeking to enter from the outside, and, when working together, it can have an impact on the rest of the world as well. At the same time, Europe cannot close its borders to immigrants leaving their own countries to avoid persecution.

It is my great honour to convey to the Conference the greetings of Tarja Halonen, President of Finland. President Halonen has taken a very active part in the work of the Council of Europe as a member of Parliament and minister. For this reason, her message and greeting is of more far-reaching significance. I shall now read her greeting:

Greeting from the President of Finland to the Council of Europe’s Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Migration on September 16, 2002.

I regret that I was unable to attend the opening of the Conference. The theme of the Conference effectively depicts the great changes behind us and those that we shall face in the future. International migration to Europe and from Europe poses a number of fundamental challenges to the governments and societies of the member countries. Policy on migration must also always contain a human rights and equality dimension in the receiving countries.

Good ethnic relations and interaction must not be taken for granted; they require continuous exertion on the part of governments, parliaments, civic organizations, labour and management, and the media to deal with the ethnic and other diversity of our societies and to utilize the added value provided by this diversity. Immigration is both a bridge from Europe to the rest of the world and to Europe. For this reason, decisions made in Europe alone are insufficient. We must also improve cooperation with the rest of the world in migration and refugee policy and in the promotion of human rights.

I wish every success to the Council of Europe’s Seventh Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Migration.

Tarja Halonen

President of Finland

Migration is a great challenge to the Council of Europe and its Member States. The main goal of this Conference is to build a framework for unifying goals and good practices. The need to establish a good balance between treatment of immigrants and ethnic minorities and regulation of migration is a major theme of the Conference. It is only from this point of departure that we can, through joint effort, develop a comprehensive policy worthy of the theme of this Conference: Migrants in our societies: Policy choices in the 21^st century.

Throughout its history, Finland has been both a large-scale provider of immigrants and a small-scale receiver. Today, many of the countries that provided immigrants in the past now experience both emigration and immigration. Finland is one of these countries. Finland like the other countries of Europe, including those that have received immigrants in the past, must develop policies and measures on the national level that enhance its capacity to deal with ethnic diversity. In consequence, they will be able to increase their ability to turn this phase of development into a common advantage and resource for both their own societies and for the immigrants and ethnic minorities living in them. There is no shortcut to the achievement of this goal; a conscious effort will be required from all of us. I believe that this Conference will offer encouragement and open new channels for good practices on this road.

With these words, I declare open the Council of Europe’s Seventh Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Migration.