Illegal immigrants at work: MEPs take crucial vote

There are an estimated 4-8 million immigrants working illegally in the European Union. They often do jobs many Europeans are unwilling to do and supplement an ageing workforce. MEPs on the Civil Liberties Committee vote Tuesday afternoon on a proposed directive that aims to stop the illegal exploitation of workers using fines and criminal measures on employers.

The lure of Europe for many immigrants is that it offers the prospect of either a better life, or a way of making money to send back to their families.
 
Each year the number of illegal migrants swells by up to half a million. Many do not make it. The rough seas that divide Europe and Africa have claimed thousands of lives.
  
Those who do come usually end up working as builders, fruit pickers, cleaners or in the hotel trade.
 
In these trades many are exploited by unethical employers who know the migrants daren't go to the police for fear of deportation. Most work without any pension provision or health insurance. Others end up in the arms of gangs who forced them into labour or even prostitution.
 
The man who drafted parliament's opinion on the directive is Italian Socialist MEP Claudio Fava. He explained that: “Illegal immigrants help meet the needs of some unscrupulous employers who are willing to take advantage of workers prepared to undertake what are mostly low-skilled and low paid jobs.”
 
Fines and possible criminal penalties are among the sanctions envisaged by the directive. They would apply to employers - not the illegal immigrants. The costs of returning immigrants to their original country or the repayment of outstanding taxes are two measures proposed.
 
Under the proposals the onus would fall on employers to inspect the documents of their workers to ensure they are legal.
 
Sicilian born Claudio Fava would also like to see reductions in penalties when employers are private individuals. For example people who may be employing a cleaning lady they pay in cash but who does not have the legal right to be in the country. The original European Commission proposal wanted stiffer penalties for such arrangements.
 
The Commission proposal in May 2007 called for 10% of all businesses to be inspected although the 51 year old Fava would like that cut by half to reduce administration costs.
 
Members of the cross-party Civil Liberties Committee will vote on the Fava report this afternoon at 5pm in Brussels.