EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson: Needs immigration - but fewer will come unregulated

- Most of us probably agree that we should have fewer who come unregulated.

But I also think that most of us understand that we need immigration, she continues

At the end of November, a new integration plan for the EU countries was presented.

Integration is primarily a national issue that countries can design freely.

But the new European Commission has wanted to raise the issue of integration to a key issue.

Want to reach women and more than new arrivals

Ylva Johansson and her Greek colleague Margaritis Schinas have been commissioned to "promote our European lifestyle", as their area of ​​responsibility is called in the EU language.

Issues of immigration and integration are the most important in that package.

With the new action plan, the European Commission wants, among other things, to direct project money to reach more women.

They want to invest in projects that provide more long-term integration, not only of new arrivals but also second-generation immigrants living in exclusion.

The EU also wants to work more closely with local authorities in the countries.

SD: Sweden has tried - gave no profit

During the debate today, she generally received support from the party groups that are most friendly to the Commission, which are the groups to which the Swedish Moderates, Christian Democrats, Center Party, Liberals and Social Democrats belong.

On the other hand, she was hit by the group to which the Sweden Democrats belong.

- The Commission seems to believe that the benefits of migration will come later.

Does the European Commission have any calculations for this?

We in Sweden have tried mass migration for a long time and we see that it did not result in higher pensions or increased tax revenues, says EU parliamentarian Charlie Weimers (SD).

- I think Sweden, like most member countries, has both good examples and also some shortcomings.

It is important to discuss both.

I believe that Sweden has problems with segregation but has achieved some success when it comes to employment for immigrant women, says EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson.