Migration & Mobility

The Economic Impact of The Arrival of Refugees in the EU

9 May 2016. From 19:00 | Workshop | IEMed, Barcelona

Europe is facing an unprecedented flow of asylum seekers that has increased political and social pressure in many Member States. In this sense, the European Commission has included for the first time in its report on economic forecasts a chapter in which it analyzes the impact of these arrivals on the European economy. The report foresees the arrival of some three million people between now and 2017, the vast majority refugees, who could generate GDP growth of between 0.2% and 0.3%.

The debate takes place at the IEMed with the participation of the economist and activist Arcadi Oliveres (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and the economics professor specialized in migration Javier Vázquez-Grenno (University of Barcelona). The event is chaired by Manuel Manonelles, general director of Multilateral and European Affairs of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and Senén Florensa, executive president of the IEMed, also participates in the event.

The session is part of the cycle “The Mediterranean of Refugees” and aims to analyze what impact on a micro and macroeconomic level the arrival of these population flows in the European Union has, not only in the short term, analyzing the possible additional spending for public administrations countries of transit or destination, but also in the medium and long term, taking into account the possible effects on the labor market and the overall growth of the European economy.