Italy has been a country of immigrants since the early 1970s. Countries with a longer history of immigration, such as France and Germany, responded to the international petrol crisis of 1973/74 by gradually closing their borders, thus changing the international migration roots.
Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal became the new destinations for economic immigrants and asylum seekers, principally coming from Africa and East Europe.
The number of immigrants has never stopped increasing in the Mediterranean area, but new policies to control and manage the situation were introduced only in the early 1990s, under pressure from the EU.
When the first industrial revolution began in the UK, gradually exporting new forms of economic and politic systems and social styles of life throughout Europe, Italy was still looking for a state of unity. At the time de facto Italy did not exist, it was divided into many kingdoms and different economic systems. The north was experiencing slow industrial growth since the time of the second industrial revolution, aided by the exploitation of natural resources in the Alps in the form of hydro-electrical power. On the other hand, in the south nothing had changed since the First World War: agriculture was still the most important sector. Furthermore, the south had one of the highest illiteracy rates in Europe. Both these situations forced many Italians to look for a new life outside the peninsula. Many migrated to France or Benelux to work in the mines but many left the continent altogether and migrated to the Americas, where they thought they would find a better life.
The quick changes in the 1970s were first of all a shock to the system. Even today the Governments have failed to familiarize themselves with the situation and find adequate solutions. The immigration policies, developed in the last twenty years, were designed to defend the country and are characterized by rigidity and intolerance. It is now evident that these methods have produced the inverse effects. There has been an increase in clandestine immigration while integration has become more difficult, that is to say, the sane construction of a multicultural society. While illegal immigration has increased, asylum seekers face big problems in seeing their basic rights recognised. Italy prefers to deny the problems instead of recognizing them and making the reforms needed.
Migration has existed since human beings have populated the Earth. It is possible to categorize this phenomena in different ways, but the issue is always the same: Migration is natural. The real difficulties have arisen due to globalization, which requires new forms of power management and for what the EU concerns, the familiarization with new tools and politics. There are sixty-five millions legal immigrants in Europe, and more than eight million illegal immigrants. The UN demographic prospectus for the continent shows that without them by 2050 the population of Europe will decrease by 119 million. This means that immigrants represent 44% of demographic growth and both the Italian and European economic systems need them.
To manage the flows, the first step should be to reduce clandestine immigration, and this is only possible by removing the barriers many immigrants face when trying to enter a country officially. Today many immigrants prefer the illegal way because it is easier! Moreover we have to pay more attention to cultural and social integration, which should be recognised as priorities and encouraged with economic funds, social activities, communication and research. France, for example, has shown us how non-integration can be a problem for the entire nation. However, Italy, after few decades of immigration, still has a chance to prevent possible future conflicts. And it is a priority. It is necessary to reform the centres for immigrants (CPTA), with cooperation between the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry for Work (it cannot only be a concern of the Ministry of Interior, as is the current practice). Moreover, it is important to control and fight illegal work in general, which is largely diffused in the country. We should also reform some EU politics, because we all need something more than just general guidelines: we have to create some EU-points; structures to manage migration, outside European territories. They should furnish information to extra-communitarian people with intentions to enter Europe, receive annual labour supply from the different EU countries and organise the immigration flow.
CATERINA PIKIZ (GATTINONI)
caterinapikiz@yahoo.it
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