Could intra-European labour mobility become a virtuous circle?

While youth emigration creates challenges for ageing societies, increasing numbers of Europeans are returning home with skills, networks and experience.

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Labour mobility inside the European Union is largely promoted in European circles, as it is seen as a ‘triple win’ for the worker, the country of origin and the host country.

Brain drain

However, some member states – or certain regions within those member states – are struggling to retain their young citizens in the face of higher wages, a better work-life balance and lifestyle opportunities offered in other European countries.

This situation is all the more critical given that the working-age population of the European Union is declining, resulting in labour shortages, and businesses are facing a record shortage of labour and skills.

This is particularly pressing in a rapidly ageing country like Italy. According to the 2025 report by the National Council for Economics and Labour (CNEL), there has been a surge in young Italians emigrating in recent years. Between 2011 and 2024, 630,000 18-to-34-year-olds left the peninsula.

Alessandro Rosina, professor of demography and social statistics at the Catholic University of Milan, explains.

Alessandro Rosina, Professor of Demography and Social Statistics, Faculty of Economics, Catholic University of Milan, Interview by Giulia Cannizzaro, Radio 24 (in Italian)

“Low birth rates and youth emigration are contributing to the ageing of our country, reducing the size of new generations more significantly than in the rest of Europe, and in a way that is unprecedented. At the same time, the elderly population continues to grow. According to [the National Institute for Public Policy Analysis] and [the National Institute of Statistics], more than six million older workers will retire over the next ten years, and Italy does not have enough young people to replace them. Companies are already struggling to find young people with the right skills, but there is also a growing shortage of staff in social services. Basically, we are facing a shortage of both engineers and nurses. This not only risks weakening [Italy’s] economic growth and prospects for development and competitiveness, but also throwing the social system into crisis.”

Recapture the benefits

So, is there any way of convincing these young people to return home – or to remain where they grew up in the first place?

Try and meet their aspirations, Professor Rosina advises.

Alessandro Rosina, Professor of Demography and Social Statistics, Faculty of Economics, Catholic University of Milan, Interview by Giulia Cannizzaro, Radio 24 (in Italian)

“Italy’s difficulty in retaining its younger generations lies precisely in the lack of environments that meet their increasingly high aspirations. The regions best able to retain and attract young people are those that have developed a dynamic, innovative and inclusive ecosystem over time, where youthful energy not only finds space but is actually recognised and valued.”

In Portugal, where the National Youth Council says that more than 60 per cent of young people are open to leaving the country, these kinds of hubs are also needed, says Rui Pena Pires, a researcher at Portugal’s Emigration Observatory.

Rui Pena Pires, Academic researcher at the Emigration Observatory, Interview by Alexandre Abrantes Neves, Radio Renascença (in Portuguese)

“The problem with Portugal is that it currently lacks sufficient centres of attraction, and that living conditions make starting out in life there virtually impossible.”

In fact, in a landmark report on the single market, Enrico Letta does not just call for ‘more mobility’: he calls for ‘better mobility’. The EU labour market should become a space in which people move to seize opportunities rather than out of necessity.

He adds that some European regions are becoming trapped in a cycle of low or negative growth, weak productivity gains, and low rates of employment, and that these regions should get all the support they need to help them break this cycle.

Brain gain?

One might think that if a country’s young people are so eager to emigrate, this must be a sign of its poor economic health. Yet according to Professor Pires, this is not the case. He draws on UN data to back up his assertion.

Rui Pena Pires, Academic researcher at the Emigration Observatory, Interview by Alexandre Abrantes Neves, Radio Renascença (in Portuguese)

“Taking the United Nations figures, for example, we see that the more developed a country is, the higher its emigration rate. In other words, emigration does not decrease with development. […] Countries such as France and the United Kingdom have many people leaving for other developed countries, and also receive many immigrants.”

And young Greek expat Fanis Grammenos argues that young people who go to live and work abroad will ultimately bring benefits back to their countries of origin.

Fanis Grammenos, Young Greek expatriate in Brussels, Interview by Nikos Andritsos & Marianna Pliakostamou, SKAI (in Greek)

” In Greece, we often think only in terms of ‘brain drain’; that ‘young people are leaving’. Yes, we recognise the better opportunities abroad, but we shouldn’t underestimate ‘brain gain’. When I arrived in Brussels for my internship, many of my colleagues said they only planned to stay for a given period and that they would then return home for personal or economic reasons. Many don’t want to stay abroad long-term. So, we need to balance both perspectives. Both phenomena exist, and both should exist. And this exchange of experience ultimately benefits Greece too, strengthening the economy.”

Fanis anticipates that the experience and expertise he gains during his time in Brussels will be of use on his return to Greece.

Fanis Grammenos, Young Greek expatriate in Brussels, Interview by Nikos Andritsos & Marianna Pliakostamou, SKAI (in Greek)

“For me, personally, the most important gains are communication skills and the exposure you get through networking. And more substantially, being here in Brussels, where decisions are made, puts you much closer to the heart of EU policymaking. So, returning to Greece, you bring back stronger expertise in your field, which you can apply on Greek soil.”

It is worth noting that, while the traditional migratory trend in Europe has long been south to north and east to west, today, in light of the economic growth being experienced by countries such as Greece, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states, the so-called ‘brain drain’ phenomenon has slowed down. It is becoming increasingly common for young people to return to their country of origin, as salaries in these countries are becoming more competitive.

Instead, we are starting to see a rise in short-term expatriation, precisely with a view to gaining experience and added value – a trend that has been observed by Spain’s national youth expert David Lafuente.

David Lafuente, Deputy Director General of European Programs and International Cooperation at INJUVE and Director of the Erasmus Agency, Interview by Aitana Sánchez, esRadio Castilla y León (in Spanish)

 “What we’re seeing is that many young, and not so young, people are moving to other countries to improve their language skills, enhance their professional training, or advance to a certain level of education. This [time abroad] doesn’t necessarily last more than a year, after which they return to Spain. Looking ahead, in today’s world, I believe that the most important thing won’t be whether you have a first-, second-, or third-class degree, but what added value you can bring to a company. Having these kinds of experiences is fundamental because this is what young people, and people in general, bring to companies and organisations: life experiences, the ability to interact with others, the ability to live in completely different environments. That is ultimately what employers value.”

Intra-EU labour mobility has positive and negative consequences, which can vary greatly depending on factors such as the length of the posting, the economic actor involved, and the sector of employment.

But such experiences are also about creating a shared sense of community, which may actually serve to strengthen intra-EU ties, adds David Lafuente.

David Lafuente, Deputy Director General of European Programmes and International Cooperation at INJUVE and Director of the Erasmus Agency, Interview by Aitana Sánchez, esRadio Castilla y León (in Spanish)

“I believe that this is an opportunity to learn about different cultures and shared values. What’s more, you realise that, as a Spaniard, your values, principles and beliefs are not so different from those held in other European countries.”

To paraphrase Enrico Letta, intra-EU mobility allows Europeans to live a truly European experience, opening doors to new opportunities in terms of education, employment and lifestyle, while also offering people a chance to develop their skills. And, as we have seen, it is not all a one-way street.

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• Hermine Donceel, Euranet Plus News Agency

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