Report says EU’s strict visa rules are holding back Morocco’s growth

A recent report by the European Reform Center said the European Union’s failure to meet its goals of curbing irregular migration through stringent “Schengen” visa policies for African countries, including Morocco.

The report exposes contradictions between the EU’s official rhetoric of fostering people-to-people relations and the actual policies that hinder communication and mobility between Europe and Africa.

The report asserts that, despite the EU’s focus on migration and border security, there is no clear evidence that tightening visa issuance reduces irregular migration or overstays in EU countries. 

On the contrary, these policies have caused significant collateral damage, including harming the EU’s reputation in Africa and restricting economic and cultural opportunities between the continents.

It further points out that the current visa system discriminates against African countries, with high-profile figures such as architects, academics, artists, and businesspeople being rejected without sufficient explanation. This has led many Africans to abandon attempts to visit Europe for work or international events, limiting cultural and economic exchanges.

The report also reveals that the EU uses its strict visa system as leverage to pressure African countries into cooperating on the readmission of deported migrants. 

Since 2019, the EU has linked easier visa access to the level of cooperation from these countries on deportation matters. Despite ongoing negotiations with Morocco, Tunisia, and Nigeria, the EU has only secured an agreement with Cape Verde, while talks with Morocco and others have stalled. 

Even countries cooperating informally accept only a small number of deportees, showing the failure of this approach.

Politically, the report argues that the EU’s obsession with migration conflicts with its geopolitical interests and “soft power” goals in Africa. While EU leaders talk of strengthening relations between peoples, visa policies tell a different story, reinforcing the perception among many Africans that the EU remains a relic of a colonial, discriminatory system.

Economically, the report warns that maintaining this approach will result in Europe missing out on the growing African workforce, which is expected to constitute a quarter of the global labor force by 2050. With Europe’s aging population, sticking to closed borders is an economically and demographically costly option.

The report calls on the EU to rethink its visa system and introduce reforms that offer more flexible rules for African countries, enhancing “soft power” and restoring its reputation on the continent. Instead of continuing ineffective and punitive policies, the EU could invest in genuine partnerships that benefit both sides, opening doors for new opportunities rather than closing them.