Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca and member of the European Committee of the Regions, hosted in Brussels the debate ”From Brain drain to Brain gain”.

This EPP Local Dialogue looked into what the EU can do for its citizens to transform ‘brain drain’ into a ‘brain gain’ – an opportunity for both the receiving communities and the places of origin.

During the debate the audience has exhanged views with Dubravka Šuica, (EPP/HR), Commissioner-designate responsible for Democracy and Demography will also atend the event, Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw, EPP CoR Member Esther de Lange, (EPP/NL), Member of the European Parliament, Vice-president of the EPP Group, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Member of the European Parliament, REGI Vice-Chair

First Part

Second Part

The debate was moderated by Dan Carbunaru Calea Europeana.

This event has been broadcasted LIVE on CaleaEuropeană.ro and on Calea Europeană Facebook Page on December 5th.

Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca – Brain drain is becoming more and more important for the European Union

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© EPP CoR- Twitter

Brain drain is becoming more and more important for the European Union and if we are not going to discuss to tackle and to find common solutions together, these brain drain can affect, even the future of the European project. There is no magical solutions. We have to work together and everyone has to do their own job first. Working in partnership with European Union, we have the best content in order to tackle the brain drain problem. 

In his presentation, Emil Boc referred to Cluj-Napoca, ”the most friendly city in Europe with foreign citizens” that tries to improve the quality of life day by day.

Dubravka Šuica,  Commissioner-designate responsible for Democracy and Demography – ”brain drain” is one of the key issues that I intend to focus on in the next five years

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© EPP CoR – Twitter

”As the commissioner in charge of demography, brain drain is one of the key issues that I intend to focus on in the next five years. Brain drain phenomenon, really can pause the European Union. We have to think about measures which we can put in place to retain attract or regain a highly educated workforce, because local authorities are the ones most affected with the consequences of the brain drain. In order to tackle the ”brain drain”, we need tailor-made solutions to attract, and retain the workforce and reduce disparities across the EU. Cohesion funds play a crucial role in supporting regions to cope with #braindrain and creating social & economic stability for the citizens.”

Esther de Lange, (EPP/NL), Member of the European Parliament, Vice-president of the EPP Group – We need to focus on providing a good quality of life as a reason to return

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© Esther de Lange – Twitter

”We are focusing very much now on the issue of brain drain and brain gain between countries within the EU, but of course there’s an underlying challenge that we have as an EU as a whole. I think it’s so incredibly important that not only we have a vice president thatis dealing with demography, and democracy in the link between the two. We need to focus on providing a good quality of life as a reason to return, concept of smart villages – based on the right infrastructure, telemedicine, 5G – can help keep people in our rural areas.”

Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw – Brain drain, one of the biggest nightmares that we have to confront 

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”Brain drain sounds dramatic and  sounds like one of the biggest nightmares that we have to confront. When you look at the brain drain and the people who emigrate in the past two years to Britain they are highly qualified and of course, we’ve heard about doctors, nurses, and so on. We all do have these problems, but to be absolutely honest with you, the problem is also internal.”

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How to deal brain drain?

”Obviously focusing on the things which are most important for the people, which is, most of all, the infrastructure and the quality of life, because that’s what the people expect right now.”

Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Member of the European Parliament, REGI Vice-Chair – Competition between countries and regions is natural. More focus on brain gain

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“Competition between countries and regions is natural; people moving around Europe can make our Union stronger and more united. I’m afraid I’m going to be the only one that I don’t see this as a dramatic situation. I know that cities have to compete, and I know that regions have to compete.  It has always happened in order to go to the cities where you have more opportunities where you can have a better quality of life.

© EPP CoR- Twitter

Of course people always look for the best, and it’s good that cities and member states and regions to compete among themselves to see which is more attractive, and I think that’s something good. We need to be an open European Union to keep the best people living in different places. So, I truly believe we’re looking at from the wrong perspective.”

Brain drain – the loss of an educated and skilled workforce – is a challenge affecting local communities and regions, but also member states and the European Union as a whole.

In 2017, approximately 4.2 million EU citizens aged between 15 and 64 with a tertiary education were residing in an EU country other than their country of citizenship. Every citizen is concerned: from the worker in constructions to researchers who are able to move within the EU. 

EPP Local Dialogues are a series of events organised across Europe, bringing citizens and EPP leaders together to discuss European policies of local interest and gathering people’s expectations on the ground.

Also on CaleaEuropeană.ro: Opinion in SEDEC Commission on “Brain drain in the EU: addressing the challenge at all levels”, presented by Emil Boc, was unanimous adopted