Brain Drain – Brain Gain: European Labour Markets in Times of Crisis 3 Foreword In the European Union there is a tale and it goes like this: In some member states the economy is on the upswing and unemployment is low, in others the economy is in a downturn and unemployment is high. As the European Union guarantees free movement for persons, labor market mobility provides for the necessary adjustment. If there are no jobs in one country, workers will relocate to another with better employment prospects. Once their ›home economy‹ is on the upbeat trend again, they will return and – bring with them the experiences acquired abroad. The functioning of the Eurozone is ensured, national economies benefit, and people are in work. And everyone lives happily ever after. To debunk this myth will have to be the task of a progres­sive European alliance. In doing so, it will be clear that there is no way back to nation states with closed borders that some observers seem to have in mind in the current debates on the refugee crisis. But it is also equally clear that free movement does not always produce ›win-win situations,‹ but advantages and disadvantages, on the individual and state level, in eco­nomic and social terms. This study sheds light on the mobility of the highly-skilled that can result in brain drain or brain gain. The movement of high-skilled workers is difficult to trace and to assess. Caution is warranted with any general assessment that identifies entire countries as winners or losers. Indeed, the wealth and richness of this study lies in the specificities of national contexts. Our analysts that were brought together in close cooperation with the country offices of the Friedrich-Ebert­Stiftung bring these differences to the fore. Let there be no mistake, trends may be difficult to evaluate, but winners and losers from free movement exist and, on a speculative note, they are becoming more and not less. It is remarkable that in light of the diversity of national experiences virtually all of the contributors to this study call for European-level solutions. What seems to be a technical question of choice is in reality a deeply political issue which is yet to fully enfold in front of us. May this study contribute to an informed debate in the political battles awaiting us! ALEXANDER SCHELLINGER European Economic and Social Policy Analyst, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung