PORTUGAL: NEW RULES RECOGNIZE IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS, SCHOOLING.

by Mario de Queiroz

LISBON, Dec. 19, 2006 (IPS/GIN) -- Immigrant associations, human rights organizations and groups against racism are discreetly applauding new Portuguese government measures to encourage integration of legal immigrants. But what the activists really want is results.

The socialist administration of Prime Minister Jos Scentscrates on Monday asked activist groups for their input on policies meant to benefit the large foreign community. But the non-governmental organizations first want to see concrete improvements in the daily lives of immigrants, who are often victims of police and government red tape.

The government's plan was first communicated to the Consultative Council for Immigration Affairs (COCAI), to which the largest associations of foreign residents in the country belong, during a weekend meeting. It was publicly announced on Monday at the celebration of International Migrants' Day, established by the United Nations in 2000.

"From what I know of the document, it lacks quantitative targets, and many of its 123 measures are, quite frankly, redundant," Eduardo Tavares de Lima, president of the General Assembly of the Casa do Brasil, an association of Brazilian immigrants, told IPS. The Brazilian community of 120,000 people is the largest group of foreign residents in Portugal.

There are a total of 650,000 immigrants, 450,000 of whom have their papers in order, in this country of 10.2 million people, making the proportion of immigrants in the population one of the highest in Europe.

The government program defines 123 integration targets, involving 13 ministries, and offers itself as "a reference program for civil society." It recommends that the various associations participate in the open discussion of the lengthy document detailing the program.