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Contents:

1. Agenda ...................................... 3

2. List of participants .................................... 3

3. Introductory remarks ................................ 3

4. Panel I ................................................ 5

5. Panel II ................................................ 6

6. Panel III .............................................. 9

7. Panel IV ................................................. 10

8. Panel V ................................................. 13

9. Closing remarks ............................ 17

10.Closing comments .................................. 19

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1. Agenda:

2. List of participants:

3. Introductory remarks On behalf of the host, funder and partners of the event, the participants were greeted by: Ruzmira Tihić-Kadrić, Assistant Minister at Department for Diaspora of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina1:

1 Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Department for Diaspora, http://www.mhrr.gov.ba (Iseljeništvo)

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Ruzmira Tihić-Kadrić pointed out, inter alia, the following2: “The objective of this workshop is to share information on factors, scope and dynamics of continued and growing intellectual emigration, particularly from the countries in our region, and on the effects this phenomenon causes to socio-economic and demographic development of the countries of origin. A high percentage of emigration of highly qualified persons has been a feature of BiH in her was and post-war period alike.“ Tihić-Kadrić pointed out that high rates of intellectual emigration are a problem shared by the whole region. Therefore, we should join forces in order to try to create adequate policies that will reduce emigration while ensuring inclusion of the current emigrants into specific processes in BiH and supporting development of BiH. Tihić-Kadrić concluded that BiH has a number of higly qualified diaspora members ready to support development of BiH and respond positively to calls posed by the institutions of BiH. Natalia Dianiskova, Head of Operation Section for Social Development, Civil Society and Cross Border Cooperation, EU Delegation in Sarajevo3: Dianiskova, inter alia, pointed out that we live in a globalized world, and that emigration is an integral part of globalization. She added that “the EU recognized the problem of emigration back in 2005, and adopted its Global Approach to this issue in order to enhance legislative framework for emigration and strengthen the link between emigration and development of the countries of origin“. Furthermore, “the EU has supported this Global Approach with 55 million Euros annually, and contributed the overall amount of 400 million Euros to implementation throughout the last seven years since the programme was

2 S Multimedia News Network Sarajevo, video recording of a press statement delivered by Ruzmira Tihić-Kadrić, http://www.sensservis.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56717:sarajevo-meunarodna-radionica-o-intelektualnoj-emigraciji-ruzmira-tihi-kadri-pomonica-ministra-za-ljudska-prava-i-izbjeglice-bih-qbosnu-i-hercegovinu-karakterizira-emigracija-visoko-obrazovanih-osobaq-0134&catid=55:bih&Itemid=200, 10 September 2013 3 S Multimedia News Network Sarajevo, video recording of a press statement delivered by Natalia Dianiskova, http://www.sensservis.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56718:sarajevo-meunarodna-radionica-o-intelektualnoj-emigraciji-natalia-dianiskova-efica-odjela-za-operacije-u-oblasti-socijalnog-razvoja-delegacija-eu-u-sarajevu-qemigracija-je-sastavni-dio-globalizacijeq-0059&catid=55:bih&Itemid=200, 10 September 2013

5

launched“. Dianiskova added that this programme can also be beneficial for Bosnia and Herzegovina (in further text: BiH), and that the participants of this event would have an opportunuity to learn from EU experts how to improve links between emigration and development of the countries of origin“. On behalf of the project partners, the participants were then addressed by Branimir Mandić, Ambassador of BiH and Director of Regional Centre for Security Cooperation (RACVIAC) in South Eastern Europe based in Zagreb4 and Toni Jakimovski, State Official of the Republic of Macedonia in the Migration, Asylum and Refugees Regional Initiative (MARRI), based in Skopje5.

4. PANEL I: EU Migration Policy The title of this panel was the legislative framework of the European Union and EU member countries in the area of migration, including promotion of mobility or legal migration from the EU perspective. The moderator was Dr. Bernhard Perchinig, Senior Researcher at ICMPD6 Austria, and a panelist was Johan - Hans Leppers, state civil servant at Ministry of Security and Justice of the Netherlands, who delivered a presentation entitled “EU migration policy: legal framework; promoting mnobility and legal migration):

EU-migration policy

- Legal framework

- Promoting mobility and legal migration

10 september 2013

In the course of the discussion that followed the presentation it was emphasized that the EU should care more about the interests of third countries, and not solely about its own economic interests. However, it was added that, given contradictory economic interests between the parties concerned, it would be a great challenge to build mutually beneficial partnership in the area of intellectual

4 RACVIAC Centre for Security Cooperation, http://www.racviac.org 5 Regional Initiative for Migration, Asylum and Refugees (MARRI), http://www.marri-rc.org/ 6 International Centre for Migration Policy Development – Međunarodni centar za kreiranje migracione politike (ICMPD)

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migration between the host EU members and third countries that migrants originate from. Leppers pointed out that benefits brought about by legal migration are numerous, including more contacts and cooperation, better living standards, improved trade relations, etc. However, the European Union may wish to listen closely to the needs and concerns of third countries when discussing its future shared migration policy. In particular, more attention should be paid, with the assistance provided by the EU, to linking migrants' resources to development of their countries of origin.

5. PANEL II: Developing National Strategies and Policies

This panel was moderated by Dragan Slavko Petrović, State Official of the Republic of Serbia at MARRI Regional Centre Skopje, and the panellists were Alenka Prvinšek Persoglio, Vice President of the International Association Connecting Technologies for Citizens “Interact 4C“, Alessia Pozzi, Project Manager of “Unity through Knowledge“ Project run by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, and Nina Daskalovikj from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Macedonia. Unfortunately, although all other delegations from the region could deliver their presentations in official languages of their countries, and since translation from/to Macedonian language was not provided, the country delegation of Macedonia did not have the same conditions to present itself in the Macedonian language.

The title of the presentation delivered by Alenka Prvinsek Persoglio was “Brain Drain and Long Term Emigration: A Challenge for Comprehensive Migration Management“:

Brain drain and long term emigration : a challenge for comprehensive migration

management

Alenka Prvinšek PersoglioInteract4C

Vice President

Sarajevo, TAIEX workshop on intellectual emigration, 10 and11th of September 2013

7

Prvinšek Persoglio had been the director of Regional Initiative for Migration, Asylum and Refugees (MARRI) in Skopje for one year after MARRI was established. She emigrated from her homeland (Sloveni) at the age of 51. Prvinšek Persoglio pointed out that emigration is an integral part of the process of migration, adding that the issue of emigration should be given a serious consideration. Emigration is, primarily, conditioned by economic problems in migrants' countries of origin. While the right to emigrate is a basic human right as defined by the UN Convention, the European Convention for Human Rights and a number of regional and national documents, particularly those passed after the Cold War, the right to immigrate is not reciprocal. It is the host countries that have exclusive right to decide who will be allowed to immigrate to their territories legally. Prvinšek Persoglio added that it is extremely important to invest time, energy and resources into developing local research and training capacities in the area of migration, illustrating this by a best practice example from Moldova. A comprehensive migration management portfolio should include the so-called 3R's: recruitment, remittances and reintegration/return. Also, it is indispensible to have reliable statistical data on migration flows in order to inform policy creation processes in the area of migration (management). Prvinšek Persoglio pointed out that a regional approach to addressing the issue of comprehensive migration management makes sense indeed. She illustrated this by an example of Swedish emigrants from Finland investing back in Finland. This investment resulted in creation of “Nokia“ that revived Finnish economics. There are three most important factors, according to Prvinšek Persoglio, that affect outflow of migrants from their countries of origin, i.e. employment, remittances and taxation. Countries of origin should strive to ensure adequate conditions for reintegration of all returnees, including pensioners, youth (e.g. through programmes for support to return of the young people), as well as for investment from diaspora, voluntary return, etc. By all means, it was concluded, migration management should be comprehensive. Alessia Pozzi, Project Manager of UKF7 run by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, and co-funded by the World Bank loan, delivered a presentation entitled „Unity through Knowledge Fund – Scientific Diaspora as an Option for Brain Drain“, in which she explained the way in which this fund was established in 2007 and how it functioned since:

7 See more about the Project Unity through Knowledge at http://www.ukf.hr/

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“Unity trough Knowledge Fund”Scientific diaspora as an option for brain drain

Alessia Pozzi, Program Manager

Ministry of Science, Education and Sports

Talking about human capital, Pozzi stated that the emigration rate of tertiary educated from BiH was 24%, 11% from Slovenia, and slightly higher than 24% from Croatia (World Bank data, 2000). She pointed out that the value of human capital is equal to that of financial capital. In the period between 2007 and May 2011, UKF funded 91 projects whose total value amounted to 91 million Euros. Given that the overall value of projects supported through UKF considerably exceeds the investment, Croatia decided to extend the UKF project implementation period by 2017. Nina Daskalovikj, Advisor at Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Macedonia, delivered a presentation entitled “Developing National Strategies and Policies“:

Sarajevo, 10 September 2013

www.mtsp.gov.mk

Developing National Strategies and Policies –

Country Presentation of the Republic of Macedonia

Nina Daskalovikj

ndaskalovik@mtsp.gov.mk

Daskalovikj pointed out that the Republic of Macedonia has been, traditionally, an emigration country. There are very limited data on the scope of intellectual emigration from Macedonia from both local and international sources.

9

An institutional and legislative framework of Macedonia in regards to migration (management) was described, as well as projects launched by the Government of Macedonia, which are focused on improved cooperation with the Macedonian diaspora. In a discussion part that followed the presentations, Pozzi was asked if Croatian experts physically returned to Croatia with the assistance of UKF. She replied that physical return of Croatian scientific diaspora was not a necessary condition for their participation in UKF-supported projects. UKF has suppored projects in which both Croatian and foreign research institutions have participated. Thus, the origin of researchers is not decisive for application to UKF. Following a brief summary delivered by moderator Petrović on the first working day, it was agreed that all participants would be invited to provide their input for closing remarks on all issues discussed throughout the workshop.

6. PANEL III: Capacity-building for human resources management in the institutions

This panel was moderated by Alenka Prvinšek Persoglio, Vice-president of Interact4C NGO. Since no panelists registered to present, Prvinšek Persoglio delivered her presentation entitled “Brain drain from the UN: a challenge for EU integration”

Prvinšek Persoglio pointed out that it is the right of each human being to move freely and choose the place to live and work in. This right enhances migration, particularly of highly educated cadre, who usually just need to learn the language of host countries in order to migrate.

She added data on migration from some European countries, including Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom and Greece.

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EU set as its goal to become competitive by 2020 and has therefore ensured open labour markets and freedom of movement within the EU.

Countries with high emigration rates have to advance their economies in order to keep the qualified labour force at home. Intellectual emigration has been recognized and widely discussed as a problem in countries of origin.

Some countries have funded research in the area of migration (management) and, based on such research and specific data, they have established such governance mechanisms that will mitigate the impact of global migration and mobility.

Prvinšek Persoglio then elaborated on best practice achieved by some countries in returning their highly qualified nationals, including the examples of Mexico, Philippines, Chile, Cuba, Albania, Turkey, Slovenia, and Serbia.

Based on previous experience, it was concluded that states, particularly developing ones, should position migration and mobility as a strategic issue of top priority, and create effective mechanisms for migration management in order to preserve their intellectual capacities necessary for development.

7. Panel IV: Consequences of intellectual emigration for development of the country of origin; Negative implications for the EU of a continued intellectual emigration from South Eastern Europe

This panel was moderated by Milan Janikjijevikj, Advisor at Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Macedonia, and Macedonian representative at RACVIAC Centre for Security Cooperation (RACVIAC) in Zagreb, whereas the panelists were Dr. Bernhard Perchinig, senior researcher at ICMPD (Austria) and Mirza Emirhafizović, MSc, senior lecturer at Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

In his presentation entitled “Talent, mobility and migration – trends and challenges”, Perchinig established that there are four key factors of migration: age, employment status, education, and social networks.

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Bernhard PerchinigTalent, Mobilty and Migration - Trends and ChallengesMulti beneificiary workshop on intellectual emigrationSarajevo, 10-11 September 2013

Bernhard Perchinig, Sarajevo , 10-09-2013

Presenting on behalf of ICMPD, Perchinig pointed out that, according to previous research, persons who are younger than 30 are most willing to migrate globally. Also, persons who are unemployed are more willing to emigrate than those who are unemployed. High rate of persons who completed secondary and tertiary education alike are generally willing to emigrate from their home countries. Social networks of people originating from the same home countries contribute to readiness for emigration, particularly amongst the family members who stayed behind.

Perchinig stated that numbers of emigrants from some developed European countries have also risen (i.e. from Portugal, Greece, Spain, etc.).

In conclusion, Perchinig recommended to the countries of origin to remain in contact with their diasporas, and to host countries to ensure proper legal status, simplify procedures for transfer of financial and social remittances, and grant residence status and labour rights to migrants’ family members.

Perchinig closed his presentation by stating that the EU sees mobility as a decisive factor contributing to human development, and as a natural expression of peoples’ desire to choose where and how they wish to live.

Mirza Emirhafizović, MSc. delivered a presentation entitled “Loss of human capital through emigration: the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina”:

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Loss of human capital through emigration: the case of Bosnia and

HerzegovinaM.Sc. Mirza Emirhafizović

University in SarajevoFaculty of Political Sciences

emirhafizovicm@fpn.unsa.ba

Multi-beneficiary Workshop on Intellectual EmigrationSarajevo, 10 -11 September 2013

Emirhafizović reminded the audience that, traditionally, BiH has been an emigration country. A huge wave of around one million and two hundred thousand people left the country during the war (1992-1995) and applied for refugee status in over one hundred countries. Namely, Emirhafizović added that during the war in BiH over 50% of the pre-war population volume or around 2.2 million persons had to leave their homes, mainly because they were forced to do so. Unfortunately, the trend of emigration of BiH population has continued after the war, primarily due to the economic reasons. He pointed out that “the drain of human capital from BiH is one of greatest challenges BiH society has been faced with in the post-war period”.

Emirhafizović stressed that transition to market economy has had a very significant impact to permanent departure of people from BiH, particularly of those with tertiary education. “The collapse of socialism did not represent the end of one socio-economic system only but also marked the collapse of a system of social values.”

In particular, Emirhafizović referred to the key current features of education in BiH: curricula are incompatible with labour market needs; there is a process of commercialization and expansion of higher education institutions; professional prospects are insecure; there is insufficient investment in research and development; and the application of HE standards is questionable.

As decisive factors that trigger emigration from BiH Emirhafizović enlisted unemployment (i.e. 28% in 2012), inadequate treatment of human resources, lack of prospects, unstable political situation, and other repulsive factors. On the other hand, the prospects that attract immigrants to developed host countries are job search opportunities, education/studying abroad, family reunion, etc.

Emirhafizović added that the war in BiH accelerated demographic transition, so that depopulation and progressive ageing have become predominant

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demographic processes, which threaten to cause a number of socio-economic problems in BiH in the near future. Unfortunately, no pro-natal measures, although urgently needed, haven been introduced yet by BiH institutions concerned.

Emirhafizović pointed out that a huge intellectual exodus of around 24% tertiary educated persons from BiH (i.e. according to the World Bank data of 2000) has certainly caused disturbances in normal functioning of social flows in BiH, while threatening to trigger a collapse of the system. Having in mind that, according to the Census carried out in 1991 in BiH, less than 4% of population had tertiary education, the consequences of migration since 1990 are drastic. Many young people claim that, should they have opportunities to do so, they are willing to leave the country, which is worrying indeed.

Emirhafizović elaborated then on bilateral agreements, that should be used as a tool to regulate migration flows, illustrating this issue with a recent example of medical staff from BiH recruited on temporary contracts by Germany.

In conclusion, Emirhafizović pointed out the following: “Having in mind the current educational and demographic structure of BiH, permanent departure of each educated person from the country represents an irrecoverable loss. It is not realistic to expect that it is possible to prevent young and educated persons to leave the country. However, the modality of circulation/flow of human capital, instead of permanent departure, seems to be most optimal for BiH and should therefore be promoted”.

8. PANEL V: National migration management strategies and policies: Points of view from candidate and potential candidate SEE countries

This panel was moderated by Aiša Telalović, Senior Expert Associate at Department for Diaspora of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, and the panellists were Olga Mitrović, Advisor for Migration at Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia, and Ali Riza Ӧzdemir, Head of Department for International Cooperation at Council for Scientific and Technological Research (TÜBITAK) of the Republic of Turkey. Following the presentations delivered by country representatives of Serbia and Turkey, Ferit Idrizi, Director of Department for European Integration of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo*8 also added his short presentation on Kosovar diaspora.

Olga Mitrović delivered a presentation entitled “National Migration Management Strategies and Policies in Serbia“:

8 *This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion

on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

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National migration management

strategies and policies:

TAIEX workshop: Intellectual Emigration - Effects and Implications on the Socioeconomic and Demographic Development

Sarajevo 10 - 11 September 2013

Commissariat for Refugees and MigrationRepublic of Serbia

In her introduction, Mitrović shared the figures illustrating the scope of migration flows in Serbia. Namely, Serbia hosts 57.184 refugees and operates 29 remaining collective centres. In addition to that, there are 209.112 internally displaced persons in Serbia. An additional challenge for the country is to provide for returnees sent back to Serbia under the current readmission agreements with EU member states – e.g. in the course of the last three years an average number of returnees through readmission has been between 5 and almost 7 thousand persons annually. The number of asylum seekers originating from Serbia has constantly risen. It is exstimated that the overall number of diaspora representatives from Serbia is between 2,5 and 4 million. In particular, there is a worrying trend of educated youth emigrating from Serbia. Demographic trend (internal migration) is characterized by depopulation of entire regions.

Mitrović explained that various national strategies and laws have been targeting various categories of migrants (i.e. refugees, diaspora, returnees, illegal migration, trafficking in human beings, border management, foreigners, etc.). Therefore, various ministries and governing bodies in Serbia are in charge of various issues from the area of migration and migration management (i.e. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Office for Cooperation with Diaspora and the Serbs in the Region, Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Ministry of Interior, Office for Human Rights and the Rights of Minorities, Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, etc.). Also, some civil society associations based in Serbia focus on migration issues.

It was decided in 2008 to, in accordance with the EU acquis on migration, Serbia establishes an adequate inter-institutional coordinated approach to the process of adjustments needed in the parts of the Serbian legislation concerning migration issues.

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Furthermore, in accordance with the requirements set out in the Roadmap for Visa Liberalization (i.e. „establishing one institution that would be in charge of analyzing the impact of migration flows, and recommending measures needed to ensure implementation of joint migration policies, as well as creating comprehensive migration policies“), in February 2009 the Coordination Body for Migration Management of the Republic of Serbia was established to manage and monitor migration-related issues. Also, the National Strategy for Migration Management was adopted in July 2009, along with its Action plan for the period from 2011 to 2012. Annual Migration Profiles of Serbia were prepared and published for 2010, 2011 and 2012, and in 2012 the National Law on Migration Management was adopted.

In regards to capacity building at both national and local level, the Serbian institutions concerned organized a series of training sessions for civil servants. In addition to this, Mitrović added that local councils for migration were embedded within municipal administrative structures, and new tools for migration management were introduced, including immigration toolkit, handbook on the protection of migrants' rights, etc.

Mitrović stated the following national migration policy objectives of Serbia:

- Process of closing the refugee chapter (Regional Housing Programme – RHP);

- Improvement of living standards for IDPs; - Ensuring reintegration of returnees sent to Serbia under readmission

agreements and prevention of jeopardizing the visa liberalization process; - Development of asylum system in Serbia within the EU standards; - Harnessing of development potential of diaspora.

National legislative framework on diaspora, Mitrović added, includes the Law on Diaspora (2010), establishment of the Assembly of Serbian Diaspora (44 delegates), Office for Diaspora and the Serbs in the region, and offices for diaspora at municipal levels.

Mitrović also elaborated on CRS9 and IOM10's Study on Demographic and Migration Trends in Serbia, which indicates, inter alia, that around 30.000 scientists and experts originating from Serbia live abroad. She also shared information on some initiatives and activities aimed at harnessing the potential of diaspora, including IOM's MIDWEB project “Migration for Development of the Western Balkans – Virtual and Temporary Return“, Multimedia Catalogue on Investment Opportunities in 193 municipalities in Serbia, Business Incubator of Technical Faculties in Belgrade – L.L.C., Young Talents Fund (Ministry of Youth and Sports – a contractual obligation).

Ali Riza Ӧzdemir delivered a presentation entitled “Turkey's Science and Technology Council's Activities on Brain Circulation“: 9 Catholic Relief Services (CRS), http://crs.org/countries/serbia 10 International Organization for Migration, http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home/where-we-work/europa/south-eastern-europe-eastern-eur/serbia.html

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Ӧzdemir pointed out that the goal of the Republic of Turkey is to build knowledge-based economy. Therefore, Turkey invests a lot into education and training of her people. Consequently, the innovation rate in Turkey has increased five and a half times within the last ten years.

Ӧzdemir said that Turkey invests a lot of effort and resources into creation of supranational research groups. „Instead of asking a question why are experts leaving, one should take care of the experts who are staying at home countries under such conditions that do not provide for their professional development“, he added.

Turkey aims to position herself as a centre of excellence at the global scale. Therefore, this country supports brain circulation and “strives to build bridges through both inbound and outbound mobility“. The State funds or co-funds a wide range of scholarship programmes. For example, just in the period between 2008 and 2013, the Government of Turkey provided incentives for 600 Turkish students to study abroad.

Ӧzdemir presented the programme entitled “Brain Circulation Scheme“, which is co-funded by the EU and the Government of Turkey. He added that Turkey strives to attract foreign students from the EU, USA, etc. to study at Turkish universities.

The Government of Turkey fully supports academic mobility in all directions, and the final goal is to ensure best quality education for leading experts who are a driving force of Turkish economic growth. The Istanbul Convention gathered 300 leading Turkish researchers who work at prestigeous uiversities throughout the world.

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In conclusion, Ӧzdemir stated that Turkey is open for all good proposals, including eventual creation of joint research facilities, laboratories, etc. in South Eastern Europe.

In his brief presentation on Kosovar diaspora, Ferit Idrizi stated that the first huge wave of emigration from Kosovo*11 took place in 1950, when 300,000 persons emigrated to Turkey. The second wave took place in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly to developed European countries. It is estimated that around 30,000 persons are leaving Kosovo*12 annually nowadays. Around 40% of the population lives abroad, which is around 700,000 migrants in total (without those who emigrated in the 1950s). It is estimated that around 30,000 persons originating from Kosovo13, who now live abroad, have tertiary education, including 232 PhD candidates who are currently studying abroad. Idrizi added that within the project “Brain Gain Plus“ over 70 visiting academics delivered lectures to Kosovar students, and 25 visiting professors decided to return permanently.

In a discussion that followed after these three presentations, the participants pointed out that national institutions in the Western Balkans should mitigate brain drain. It was stated that the number of tertiary educated unemployed persons has risen in BiH. For example, almost 1.200 persons applied recently to BiH Agency for Labour and Employment for temporary work in Germany within the bilateral agreement signed by BiH and Germany on Medical Personnel.

The key causes of emigration of experts from BiH are unemployment and low wages. For example, there are 3.000 unemployed medical staff registered in BiH.

It was reiterated that the offer provided by HE institutions does not match labour market needs in BiH and other countries in our region.

The participants concluded that one is always forced by external circumstances to leave the country – such decision is not made in any simple or easy way. They invited the EU to help the Western Balkans countries create such programmes that will contribute to job generation and provide access to decent work at local labour markets, as envisaged by the relevant ILO standards.

9. Closing remarks

Following its consultations with the project partners (ie. MARRI Skopje and RACVIAC Zagreb), Department for Diaspora of the Ministry for Human Rights and

11 * This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. 12 *This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. 13 *This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

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Refugees invited all participants of this workshop to share their suggestions of the closing remarks.

Here follows an integral text of all suggestions received from the participants by 18 September 2013:

1) assess needs and gaps on brain drain in the region (the objective: to have an overall picture of the phenomenon, with estimation of migration flows and their structure);

2) develop methodology for reliable statistics as tool for policy development (possibly from IPA regional funds);

3) develop self-sustainable system of trainings for analytical capacities and general topics related to migration (including both emigration and immigration) - consider funding possibilities under IPA funds;

4) map up the models of existing good practice from the region (perhaps through MARRI by means of questionnaires);

5) create a set of potentially useful measures for the implementation of policies on linking migrants’ resources with development of the countries of origin;

6) establish/update a database on BiH emigrants (including both first and second generation) with tertiary education;

7) establish a state-level agency (i.e. a new body or strengthen the capacity of the existing Department for Diaspora of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH), whose main objectives would be the following:

a) Establish cooperation between BiH and foreign scientific institutions in order to implement projects, act as an intermediary in sharing of experts or in sending experts abroad for their professional development;

b) Provide assistance to BiH universities/faculties in application and processing procedures for such research projects in which foreign experts (of BiH origin) would participate;

8) carry out such activities that will lead to removal of obstacles for engagement of deficitary cadre from abroad (i.e. recognition of diplomas, administrative complications, etc.); 9) identify sources of funding through various programmes/funds for activities within the area of linking migrants' resources with development of BiH and other countries of migrants' origin in the Western Balkans; 10) keep working towards linking BiH scientific diaspora with scientific and educational institutions in BiH – give priority to institutional cooperation, following best practice of countries with numerous diasporas that already achieved specific results in this area; 11) focus both on return and on involvement of expatriates in projects at home, - this is not only easier for individuals, but also forges links between institutions and companies abroad, which might later lead to further cooperation;

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12) build capacity and reach a regional agreement on types of data and methods of their collection (i.e. as the comparability and quality of data largely depends on definitions of what to collect and what methods to use) – a mapping exercise of the existing data-definitions and collection methods could be a starting point; 12) continue consultations and strive to achieve a shared position of the Western Balkans countries concerning a joint regional approach to the EU and other developed host countries in the area of migration and development; 13) continue a (non-formal) regional consultative process in the area of migration and development.

10. Closing comments14 Emigration is not a new phenomenon: emigration is of all times. Emigration in itself is not a bad thing. People who emigrate mostly are persons of maximum 30 to 35 years old. Only some of the emigrated young persons return to their country of origin after 5 to 6 years. Therefore a majority of emigrated young persons does not return to their countries of origin. Bright young people and best trained persons leave their countries of origin to see more of the world, to find a better life, and are attracted by higher wages and better labour circumstances. Emigration is usually triggered by: unemployment, poor standards of living and absence of prospects to a better life in a country of origin, in combination with a prospect of getting a better life abroad: higher standards of living, more income (higher wages). In order to get a better knowledge on emigration or a Diaspora a government needs get knowledge on how big a problem is by way of statistics. Statistics are to be based on inquiries, investigations, research. Emigration or Diaspora has socioeconomic consequences for the remaining population: elderly persons, dependant family members, who need income or care. When unemployment rates are high, for example 50%, which seems to be the case in BiH, it is only natural that young and highly educated people leave the country (and not only young and highly educated people). The emigrated persons can and probably will remit money to their family members in the country of origin. The legal framework of the EU on migration does not offer a solution or an effective mechanism to control emigration of countries of the region, because the EU migration policy and therefore the EU legal framework on migration is mainly aimed at attracting (brightest) students, researchers and scientists. The relevant directives provide possibilities to prolong the stay of students and researchers in order to find a (permanent) job in the Member State concerned.

14 An integral text of the suggestions received from the participants by 18 September 2013

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More favourable conditions than are there are in the different directives are possible by international agreements (e.g. on visas and residence permits), but no less favourable conditions are allowed, because of the minimum character of the directives and the contents of the articles 4 of the relevant directives. In some cases there is the possibility for each Member State for an international agreement with one or more countries of origin on volumes of numbers. In case the EU or a Member State should limit the volume of admission of students, researchers or scientists, the target groups in the countries of the region could choose to go elsewhere, e.g. another Member State, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, or an upcoming market (BRIC: Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China) or Turkey. What is needed to give the population that stays in the country of origin a better life? More jobs, more opportunities to find a job, with decent labour circumstances and decent (such as higher) wages. In case the jobs offered on the local labour market do not match the labour supply, additional education and training on the job or internal courses are needed. In case and insofar unemployment is caused by the lack of jobs in relation to the number of job seekers, and their qualifications, more investment is probably needed then. To attract more investors than there are available in the country of origin, such investors should be found abroad: in the EU and elsewhere, perhaps by means of international trade missions. Before that, knowledge is required on the labour force available, the qualifications of that labour force and (increasing of the possibilities for re-skilling, etc.).

Whereas states usually gather a lot of knowledge about the educational and the employment situation of their population through population registers and social security and employment data, there is not only a lack of knowledge of basic demographic information of emigrants, but also about their education and employment situation, and their areas of expertise. Thus a specific focus should be laid on gathering more than basic demographic data, but also data on the educational levels, expertise and type of employment. This cannot be done, as for the resident population, by a more or less automatic data collection by public services, but has to be done proactively, i.e. by setting up registers for emigrants, where they can register these data, and approaching them directly - which should be linked with incentives, and with regular information on potential involvement. Here the potential of mobile communications and IT can makes things easier than they were 10 years ago.

The European Union and the Western Balkans countries should start a serious dialogue on mutually beneficial partnership in the area of linking migrants' resources with development since no such dialogue has taken place yet due to the conflict of strategic interests of the parties concerned.