Can the EU Seasonal Workers' Directive Alleviate the Pending Crisis of Climate-Induced Displacement

Abstract

Due to growing unrest on the African continent, the migration crisis in the EU is escalating. Numbers of global refugees and displaced persons are continuously increasing. Climate change is predicted to cause about 50 and 350 million additional people to move by 2050, with at least half coming from Sub-Saharan Africa.¹ At the same time, due to the decline and ageing of the EU population, the EU needs migrants to fill gaps in the labour market. This article demonstrates that migration from Africa can be used as a mutually beneficial strategy. The EU can strengthen its economy and welfare systems. African states can increase their resilience to climate change, boost development and adaptation. Ultimately, it can reduce the need for relocation. In particular, this article investigates the potential of the recent EU Seasonal Workers' Directive – which refers to the importance of promoting the development of third states – to serve this ambition. Since the Directive still has to be implemented into Member States' national laws, this article suggests learning some lessons from schemes already adopted and functioning outside of the EU. Namely it analyses the seasonal labour migration schemes of Australia and New Zealand that give migration opportunities to Pacific Islanders and analyses their experiences in promoting development in the Pacific region. This analysis highlights crucial aspects that should be taken into account during the implementation of the EU Directive.