The 2017 Italian Geography Congress takes place on June 7-10 in Rome at the Scuola di Lettere Filosofia Lingue dell’ Università Roma Tre.  On Friday June 9, 2017, a panel organized by Maria Paradiso (University of Sannio and Chair, IGU COMB Commisssion Medditerranean Basin) will discuss the entire morning the topic:

The crisis of refugee mobility and its implications for European identity and relationships

Klaus F. Zimmermann, Princeton University and UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, who is also the President of the Global Labor Organization (GLO), is one of the distinguished panelists. Maria Paradiso, who is also a GLO Fellow, will chair the panel the entire Friday morning in two sessions.

Zimmermann, will draw in his contributions on his recent work on the issue:

Zimmermann, Klaus F., Refugee and Migrant Labor Market Integration: Europe in Need of a New Policy Agenda. Mimeo. Presented at the EUI Conference on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees, 29-30 September 2016 in Florence. Published in: Bauböck, R. and Tripkovic, M.,  The Integration of Migrants and Refugees.  An EUI Forum on Migration, Citizenship and Demography, European University Institute, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, Florence 2017, pp. 88 – 100.

See also Zimmermann’s website or his CV for further references.

GLO President Zimmermann in front of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome

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A Second Chance for Europe

Economic, Political and Legal Perspectives of the European Union

Table of Content

Chapter 2: Halting Support for the EU; pp 27-57 (Jo Ritzen & Klaus F. Zimmermann)

The stark reality is that the EU, in its present form, is unlikely to survive the next 10–25 years. The EU of today, which provides for long-term peace and prosperity, faces an existential threat linked to recent voting in elections and referendums. Euroscepticism appears to have almost doubled in the period 2006–2016, from roughly 12% to 30% of the population (although Eurobarometer’s measure of Euroscepticism, at around 16%, has been more or less constant since 2011). These are EU citizens who do not believe that the EU has been good for them or their country. Many among them are likely to be the “losers of globalisation”. They are people who are uncertain of the future, for themselves or their children. A statistical analysis of Eurosceptic data highlights future uncertainty as a likely source of resistance to the EU. Euroscepticism has become visible in referendums on Europe; most notably with Brexit. There is therefore a need to realign the direct democracy of referendums with the indirect democracy of parliamentary representation; that is, if the EU is to serve its purpose as a “machine” for peace, security and welfare. The bottom line is that without further action Euroscepticism as a major “centrifugal” force is likely to increase in the years ahead, potentially giving rise to more exits or a complete and chaotic end to the EU.

Chapter 3: A Vibrant European Model; pp 59-112 (Jo Ritzen & Klaus F. Zimmermann)

We sketch a visionary strategy for Europe in which full employment is quickly regained, where income inequality is reduced and the economies are more sustainable. We name this scenario “vibrant.” It is contrasted with what would happen if present policies continue within the European Union (EU) and its member states. In the vibrant scenario, full employment is regained by more policy attention toward innovation and its underlying research and development (R&D), accompanied by more labor mobility within and between EU countries, in combination with a selective immigration policy based on labor market shortages. The road to full employment is embedded in a landscape with less income inequality and more “greening” of EU member states’ economies. More trade can be compatible with this scenario. We translate the vibrant scenario into policy proposals distinguishing between the role for the EU and that of the member states.

Picture below with Gesine Schwan: Jo Ritzen and Klaus F. Zimmermann debating the future of Europe and its labor markets at a conference in Bonn on July 17, 2013. One of the many joint activities preparing the book. It was Jo Ritzen who early on anticipated the upcoming crisis of Europe and its institutions. Gesine Schwan is a German political science professor, former President of the Viadrina European University, and member of the Social Democratic Party. Her party had nominated her twice as candidate for the German federal presidential elections.

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“The book collects articles published by Daniel Hamermesh between 1969 and 2013 dealing with the general topic of the demand for labor. The first section presents empirical studies of basic issues in labor demand, including the extent to which different types of labor are substitutes, how firms’ and workers’ investments affect labor turnover, and how costs of adjusting employment affect the dynamics of employment and patterns of labor turnover. The second section examines the impacts of various labor-market policies, including minimum wages, penalty pay for using overtime hours or hours worked on weekends or nights, severance pay for displaced workers, and payroll taxes to finance unemployment insurance benefits. The final section deals with general questions of discrimination by employers along various dimensions, including looks, gender and ethnicity, in all cases focusing on the process of discrimination and the behavior that results.”

GLO President Klaus F. Zimmermann

The current G7 summit takes place in Sicily’s ancient hilltop resort of Taormina, Italy. The extraordinary view on the Mediterranean reminds the participants of this event about the importance of measures to find solutions to deal with the deadly flows of illegal migration from nearby Africa.

But tense discussions characterize this summit. The refugee issue had been pushed by the Italian host to revise current policies, but a veto by the US hindered any progress. Since a while, Italy had fostered internal debates to oblige refugees to work while asylum applications are processed.

The early integration of asylum seekers and migrants into educational systems and labor markets is a policy strategy that has been advocated for a while by Klaus F. Zimmermann. In his keynote to the 22. Eurasia Business and Economics Society (EBES) Conference, May 24-26, 2017 at Sapienza University of Rome, which he had delivered on May 24, he has summarized his views again. He spoke about:

“Migration for Development: From Challenges to Opportunities”

Klaus F. Zimmermann, Princeton University and UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, is also the President of the Global Labor Organization (GLO). The background paper to the keynote has been made available as GLO Discussion Paper No. 70.

Migration in general has been largely positive for European economies – mobility within Europe and immigration from outside. But there are also benefits for the sending countries, which are often undervalued. Migrants may foster trade, remittances, innovations, investments back home, and even return home at some time with better human capital. Functioning diasporas can lead to stable factors of development. Policies in receiving developed countries towards migrants can enhance the positive impact of migration for development. Among those are measures to support the early integration of migrants into the educational systems and in the labor markets, including jobs for asylum seekers. Dual citizenship and circular migration contracts are possible instruments. Migration policy can be an effective development policy.

Hence, the early inclusion of refugees into the labor market as also suggested by the Italian government in the context of a new approach to migration policy by the G7 countries deserves support. In enables migrants to contribute to their living expenses, it reduces tensions against refugees among the native population and it is an investment into the economic future of refugees, since it increases the likelihood for a successful labor force participation both in the host or home countries.

As the World Bank has recently stated:

“Efficient allocation of labor provides one of the most critical paths for development. Many countries stay poor and suffer from inequality because their labor force is stuck in low-productivity locations, occupations, and sectors. Migration lowers unemployment and underemployment, and creates access to more-productive and higher-paying jobs.In short, migration is a powerful tool for development…. This idea needs to occupy a general role in the migration policy debate, especially for low- and middle-income sending countries.”

GLO President Zimmermann in front of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome

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The keynote of the 22. Eurasia Business and Economics Society (EBES) Conference, May 24-26, 2017 at Sapienza University of Rome will be delivered by  Klaus F. Zimmermann.

On May 24 he will speak about

“Migration for Development: From Challenges to Opportunities”.

Eurasia Business and Economics Society (EBES) was founded in early 2008. In spite of the term “Eurasia”, the scope is understood as truly global. EBES brings together worldwide researchers and professionals, encourages scholars, provides network opportunities for conference attendees to foster long-lasting academic co-operations and offers publication opportunities. In its successful work, EBES benefits from its high-ranked advisory board which consists of well-known academicians from all around the world.

Klaus F. Zimmermann, Princeton University and UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, is also the President of the Global Labor Organization (GLO). The background paper to the keynote has been made available as GLO Discussion Paper No. 70.

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Back at Bonn University: Klaus F. Zimmermann, is affiliated with Princeton University, UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, and ZEF at Bonn University, among others. He is also President of the Global Labor Organization (GLO). He has been President of the DIW Berlin and is Founding Director of IZA.

On Thursday, May 11, 2017 Zimmermann spoke in a main building of Bonn University in front of a large number of registered participants in the lecture series “Evaluation and Evidence Based Policy Making in Germany“ about

Labor Migration and the Role of Evaluation

Zimmermann addressed the differences between public opinions about migration and scientific evidence. References to research output can be found on his website.

The meeting was chaired and introduced by Dr. Sven Harten, Deputy Director of the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval).

The lecture series “Evaluation and Evidence Based Policy Making in Germany“ is organized by the Coordination Unit “Sustainable Development in International Cooperation“ of the University of Bonn and the German Institute for Development Evaluation (Deutsches Evaluierungsinstitut der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit; DEval). In the lecture series, evaluation experts analyze and discuss the methods and role of evaluation in the context of German public policy. While the topics discussed are wide-ranging, the common thread that runs through the series is how complex issues of public policy can be assessed in a methodologically rigorous manner whilst assuring successful stakeholder management and yielding useful and timely results.

Zimmermann and DEval Deputy Director Harten (right) at Bonn University

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Globalisierung und Migration erzeugen Ängste und Hoffnungen zugleich. Sie sind häufig mit Mißverständnissen verbunden. Fakten und wissenschaftliche Evidenz werden gerne ignoriert. Was steckt dahinter? Darüber informierte eine öffentliche Vortragsveranstaltung.

Das Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der TU Braunschweig organisiert unter  dem Titel „Ökonomie, Politik & Praxis“ eine Reihe offener Vortragsveranstaltungen mit dem Ziel, gesellschaftlich bedeutende, wirtschaftliche Themen in die Region zu tragen. Zielgruppe sind Persönlichkeiten aus Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft, Verwaltung und Politik, aber auch ganz “normale” Mitbürger und Mitbürgerinnen.

Im Rahmen dieser öffentlichen Vortragsreihe sprach Klaus F. Zimmermann am Dienstag, den 9. Mai 2017 um 18.30 Uhr in einer sehr gut besuchten Veranstaltung zum Thema

Migration und Globalisierungsängste in Zeiten evidenzfreier Wirtschaftspolitik

Ort: Haus der Wissenschaft, Veolia & Weitblick , Pockelsstr. 11 5. OG,38106 Braunschweig

Klaus F. Zimmermann (Princeton University, UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University und Universität Bonn) ist auch Präsident der Global Labor Organization (GLO).

Er war zuvor über ein Jahrzehnt Präsident des Deutschen Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin) und fast 20 Jahre Gründungsdirektor des Bonner Instituts zur Zukunft der Arbeit (IZA).

Vor dem Veranstaltungsort (von links): GLO-Fellow Franz Peter Lang (TU Braunschweig), Zimmermann und Christian Leßmann (Leiter des Instituts für Volkswirtschaftslehre der TU Braunschweig).

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