CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 01/2016

L’AUTRICHE FEDERATION OF AUSTRIAN INDUSTRIES | INTERVIEW
FACTS &
FIGURES
onell oder wir werden in fünf, sechs Jahren
massive Probleme bekommen, die wir
nicht mehr bewältigen können. Stellen Sie
sich erst den Druck auf Europa vor, wenn
in der Sub-Sahara-Zone viele Menschen –
unter anderem wegen des Klimawandels
gezwungen sein werden, sich aus diesen
Gebieten weg zu bewegen. Jetzt wäre in
Wirklichkeit die Stunde der Politik, aber
die hat sie bis jetzt nur ansatzweise genützt.
Das Vertrauen in die Politik war deswegen
noch nie so gering. Und die Gefahr des
Auseinanderbrechens von Europa noch nie
so groß.
CD: The number one topic in 2016 is and will
remain the refugee issue. What is your assessment
of the situation, what do your proposed
solutions look like?
Neumayer: This topic has several levels –
legal, economic and integration policy. The
first major challenge, not only faced by the
government but also civil society, occupied
centre stage last year – to give people who
are fleeing at least a roof over their heads.
We have to think about the second challenge
in the medium term: What does it
mean to accept so many refugees and migrants
into our country? What impact will it
have on our social and welfare state, on
growth and employment and the labour
market? How large could the number of
people coming to Austria be? And how do
we deal with it politically?
I would like to emphasise that in the
passed few months, politics does not seem
to have dealt with this issue very competently
and civil society as well as companies
have taken care of a lot. But this will not
work in the long-term.
„Die Gefahr des Auseinanderbrechens
von Europa war noch
nie so groß.“
“The risk of Europe breaking apart
has never been so big.“
How can people who have a chance of asylum be
integrated, be allowed to participate in the
production process? Businesses especially have
been complaining about a shortage of specialists
for a long time.
By acting very swiftly and very consistently.
This includes, from the viewpoint of businesses
and the economy, looking at the qualifications
of the asylum seekers and checking
where they have to catch up on any
skills. Such as language or professional qualifications.
It also has to be done extensively
as in Germany. First, a rough skills check
that is then looked at more thoroughly on a
regional level so they can catch up on any
skill shortages quickly.
But we also have to be honest: Some will
certainly be easier to integrate into the labour
market than others. It is going to be a
major effort.
Why should it be done so quickly when asylum
seekers are practically excluded from the labour
market at the very moment?
We are asking for this time to be used wisely.
Even if at the end there is a negative asylum
decision, then at least they have gained
a qualification they can use in the future.
Therefore, giving asylum seekers the opportunity
to do an apprenticeship even during
the asylum process is the right approach. If
asylum is then not granted, this apprenticeship
can still be completed.
When should asylum seekers have complete
access to the labour market?
When they have a skill, which is really
sought-after but not available, which e.g. is
on the list of shortage occupations, then
you can think about whether access to the
labour market could be allowed beforehand.
If someone is highly qualified, then It
would make sense to transfer them to the
Red-White-Red Card scheme. If they do
not have any qualifications, then it is important
to teach them new skills straight
away. Many of them do have qualifications
that are not sought-after in the Austrian labour
market, such as saddlers or blacksmiths.
But the Austrian labour market has not been able
to provide nearly 500,000 people with jobs as it
is. And existing jobs are being threatened by new
technologies. How is it going to work?
We are also aware that this wave of refugees
and migrants has come at a time when we
PHOTOS: RALPH MANFREDA
have the highest unemployment rate ever in the Second
Republic. We are, therefore, faced with a Herculean
task, which could last ten to fifteen years.
Nevertheless, we have to think about e.g. whether
we should create simpler entry-level opportunities at
the lower end of employment, such as for simple
technical jobs, which can be funded. The public purse
would contribute for a certain amount of time and
then after six months the company, or wherever they
are working, could take on this person completely.
We have to come up with new such solutions,
otherwise it won‘t work. And there can be no taboos.
We have to create transparency in the labour market.
Wouldn‘t a clear immigration law also prevent this labour
market problem?
Of course. We need an immigration law that clearly
states the criteria for migrating to this country. This is
also being discussed in Germany.
Not only Austria, but the entire EU is also divided by the
refugee issue. Many are even claiming that their entire
Your personal contact
existence is under threat.
And furthermore, it is happening not only during an
economically difficult situation. We are all at the beginning
of a wave of digitalisation, which is also going
to have an enormous impact on the labour market.
There is one large premise everywhere for the
future: qualifications. There are going to be changes
one way or another.
And we only have a certain period of time to
achieve common responsibility and pan-European
solutions. Time is running out fast. Either we do this
job now professionally or we will have huge problems
in five, six years‘ time, which we will not be able
to overcome anymore.
Imagine what the pressure will be like on Europe
when in sub-Saharan Africa many people – also because
of climate change – will be forced to move
away from these areas. In fact, now would be the moment
for politics to act but it has only done so to a
certain extent. Trust in politics has, therefore, never
been so low. And the risk of Europe breaking apart
never been so great.
Österreichische
Industriellen-
Vereinigung
Federation of Austrian
Industries
Geschichte. Die
„Vereinigung Österreichischer
Industrieller“ wurde
1946 als offizielle
Interessensvertretung
gegründet und hat heute
rund 4.200 Mitglieder.
History. The „Federation
of Austrian Industries“ was
established in 1946 as an
official lobbying
organisation and today
counts some 4,200
members.
iv-net.at
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70
Cercle Diplomatique 1/2016
IV-Generalsekretär Christoph Neumayer
(im Bild r. ) im Interview mit CD-Autor
Rainer Himmelfreundpointner.
Director General Christoph Neumayer
(pictured right) during the interview with
CD author Rainer Himmelfreundpointner.
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