Odliv mozků v EU: řešení problému na všech úrovních
Opinion factsheet
Témata na této stránce
- Zaměstnanost a sociální politika
- Demografická změna
- Mobilita pracovních sil
- Sociální ochrana
- Vzdělávání a kultura
- Vzdělávání
Opinion number:
CDR-4645-2019
Status:
Přijatá
Objective
Contribute to addressing the challenges that the brain-drain phenomenon can pose to the EU's territorial development, cohesion, and competitiveness;
Building on the 2018 CoR study "Addressing brain drain: The local and regional dimension", make policy recommendations for local and regional authorities (LRAs) and for EU action;
Help formulating appropriate policies and/or measures to retain, attract, or regain a highly educated workforce in sending regions based on various tools existing in LRAs and Member States in order to prevent and mitigate brain drain, and to attract brains both within and beyond the EU;
Call for EU support to regions and cities by providing solutions and more coordinated support, as has been done by way of example for healthcare workers via the Action Plan for the EU Health Workforce.
Building on the 2018 CoR study "Addressing brain drain: The local and regional dimension", make policy recommendations for local and regional authorities (LRAs) and for EU action;
Help formulating appropriate policies and/or measures to retain, attract, or regain a highly educated workforce in sending regions based on various tools existing in LRAs and Member States in order to prevent and mitigate brain drain, and to attract brains both within and beyond the EU;
Call for EU support to regions and cities by providing solutions and more coordinated support, as has been done by way of example for healthcare workers via the Action Plan for the EU Health Workforce.
Impact
The Opinion adopted at the beginning of the mandate of the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the EU provided substantial input to one of its priorities, namely achieving a balanced brain circulation in the EU, as a driving force for the European Education Area. The rapporteur presented the opinion's key messages in Council's Education Committee and then several ideas were included in the Presidency discussion paper for the dedicated EYCS (Education) Council policy debate on 20 February 2020.
The challenge of brain drain was also mentioned in relation to demographic change in the Communication on A Strong Social Europe for Just Transitions and the European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit addressed the topic in a debate with SEDEC members in July 2020. Speaking at the Bocconi University on 28 November 2020, Commission President von der Leyen underlined some solutions for reversing brain drain and transforming it into brain gain/circulation: "a city like Milan has managed to revert the brain drain, at least to some extent. Some bright minds who had left are coming back – because you have built an ecosystem that rewards talent and attracts investment."
Brain Circulation was one of the domains highlighted in the Council conclusions on the New European Research Area adopted by written procedure on 1 December 2020. The Council "calls on the Commission and Member States to monitor and recommend measures to address unbalanced brain circulation, including the system of remuneration, mobility pattern, employment conditions, social security policies, portability of grants and pensions as well as intersectoral mobility of researchers".
The key findings of the Opinion remained valid even in the difficult conditions determined by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapporteur reiterated them when participating in a high-level panel on "Beating the odds: New opportunities to step up investment in education" at the 3rd European Education Summit on 10 December 2020.
An interesting follow up is the launch of a Call for evidence by the European Commission on "Brain drain – mitigating challenges associated with population decline". Based on the evidence collected during 29 March 2022 - 21 June 2022, the European Commission published a communication in January 2023 on "Harnessing talent in Europe's regions".
The challenge of brain drain was also mentioned in relation to demographic change in the Communication on A Strong Social Europe for Just Transitions and the European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit addressed the topic in a debate with SEDEC members in July 2020. Speaking at the Bocconi University on 28 November 2020, Commission President von der Leyen underlined some solutions for reversing brain drain and transforming it into brain gain/circulation: "a city like Milan has managed to revert the brain drain, at least to some extent. Some bright minds who had left are coming back – because you have built an ecosystem that rewards talent and attracts investment."
Brain Circulation was one of the domains highlighted in the Council conclusions on the New European Research Area adopted by written procedure on 1 December 2020. The Council "calls on the Commission and Member States to monitor and recommend measures to address unbalanced brain circulation, including the system of remuneration, mobility pattern, employment conditions, social security policies, portability of grants and pensions as well as intersectoral mobility of researchers".
The key findings of the Opinion remained valid even in the difficult conditions determined by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapporteur reiterated them when participating in a high-level panel on "Beating the odds: New opportunities to step up investment in education" at the 3rd European Education Summit on 10 December 2020.
An interesting follow up is the launch of a Call for evidence by the European Commission on "Brain drain – mitigating challenges associated with population decline". Based on the evidence collected during 29 March 2022 - 21 June 2022, the European Commission published a communication in January 2023 on "Harnessing talent in Europe's regions".
Essential points
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
- draws attention to the risk brain drain poses to the long-term sustainability of the European project. Sending regions are in a double bind: they need convergence (to close the gap with receiving regions), but are losing their skilled workforce. In the long term, any change or transition to a sustainable and competitive economic model based on the knowledge economy and high added-value products would seem very difficult to achieve in a scenario where disparities between sending and receiving regions are widening.
- suggests that LRAs set up local alliances, including all stakeholders (public authorities, businesses, universities, NGOs, etc.), which are able to draft and implement local policies that help to mitigate brain drain.
- recommends that different types of response be identified and implemented for each subcomponent of the brain drain phenomenon – brain gain, brain waste, brain circulation and re-migration. Each of these areas calls for different, specific solutions;
- recommends that the European Commission steps up its efforts to reduce regional disparities, which are one of the major causes of brain drain. The cohesion funds play a crucial role in supporting our regions and areas that suffer from such disparities;
- considers it crucial that LRAs understand the importance of universities' and vocational education and training providers' role in local development within the knowledge-based economy. Public authorities need to develop partnerships with universities, and also to be aware of the need to support universities, including through investment in local infrastructure.
- recommends that the European Commission actively support – in close cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions, the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers – the efforts of local and regional public bodies in addressing brain drain.