European Union

In the European Union, enlargement, special arrangements for the expansion of the Schengen Area, and the gradual development of a stronger EU role in immigration have added new complexity to the policy landscape, leading to both new patterns of movement and new policies for governing immigration from outside of the European Union's 27 Member States. The research offered here focuses on migration policies, trends, and common challenges that affect Europe at a supranational level—from free movement to asylum policy and the management of EU borders.

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Commentaries

One Phase Closes for the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. Now Another Begins

The New Pact on Migration and Asylum agreed in December 2023 by EU Member States and the European Parliament after lengthy negotiation will, without a doubt, go down in history as a signal political accomplishment. But will it result in better management of migration and asylum systems in a complex era? The outcome will turn on implementation and communication, this MPI Europe commentary explains.

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Policy Briefs

What Role Could Digital Technologies Play in the New EU Pact on Migration and Asylum?

With EU migration systems under strain, many observers have high hopes that the New Pact on Migration and Asylum will be able to help Europe address pressing challenges. This policy brief explores how digital technologies could support the implementation of the pact, should it be approved, as well as areas where caution is merited.

Recent Activity

Articles October 9, 2020 Criminalization of Search-and-Rescue Operations in the Mediterranean Has Been Accompanied by Rising Migrant Death Rate By Isabella Lloyd-Damnjanovic	Multimedia October 6, 2020 Is Airport COVID-19 Testing Ready for Takeoff?
Commentaries October 2020 The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum—A Bold Move to Avoid the Abyss? By Hanne Beirens	Articles September 25, 2020 Greece Struggles to Balance Competing Migration Demands By Joel Hernàndez
Reports September 2020 Driving Migrant Inclusion through Social Innovation: Lessons for Cities in a Pandemic By Liam Patuzzi	Policy Briefs September 2020 Brexit on the Backburner: Citizens’ Rights and the Implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement in a Pandemic By Aliyyah Ahad and Monica Andriescu
Commentaries September 2020 Greece’s Moria Tragedy: The Crash Test for the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum By Hanne Beirens	Articles August 25, 2020 Southeastern Europe Looks to Engage its Diaspora to Offset the Impact of Depopulation By Silviu Kondan

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Policy Briefs June 2014 Future EU Policy Development on Immigration and Asylum: Understanding the Challenge By Elizabeth Collett	Reports May 2014 Supporting Immigrant Integration in Europe? Developing the Governance for Diaspora Engagement By Maria Vincenza Desiderio
Reports February 2014 Human Smuggling and Trafficking into Europe: A Comparative Perspective By Louise Shelley	Reports January 2014 Securing Borders: The Intended, Unintended, and Perverse Consequences By Randall Hansen and Demetrios G. Papademetriou
Books December 2013 Managing Borders in an Increasingly Borderless World	Reports December 2013 Skilled Immigrants in the Global Economy: Prospects for International Cooperation on Recognition of Foreign Qualifications By Madeleine Sumption, Demetrios G. Papademetriou and Sarah Flamm
Policy Briefs November 2013 Reaping the Benefits? Social Security Coordination for Mobile EU Citizens By Meghan Benton	Reports July 2013 Skills, Professional Regulation, and International Mobility in the Engineering Workforce By Matthew Dixon

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Feature

April 2, 2015

Assessing the Political Impact of Immigration as the United Kingdom Heads to the Polls

The United Kingdom has faced changing immigration patterns over the last two decades driven largely by EU migration, and political upheaval caused by the rise of the United Kingdom Independence Party and the Scottish National Party. Upcoming general elections in May 2015 will have a significant impact not only on immigration policies but the United Kingdom's place in the European Union.

Feature

January 23, 2015

Children Left Behind: The Impact of Labor Migration in Moldova and Ukraine

In Moldova, 100,000 children have been left behind by migrant parents; in Ukraine, there are 200,000 such children. The scale of labor migration and impact of remittances on both economies have prompted Moldova and Ukraine to work with the European Union and international organizations to develop policies addressing the welfare of left-behind children. This article examines research on the effects of parental migration on children and the policy environment.

Top Ten

December 18, 2014

Border Controls under Challenge: A New Chapter Opens

In 2014 governments in Europe, North America, and Australia reacted to significant mixed flows of humanitarian, economic, and family-stream migrants with a range of new policies. These came as some migrants presented themselves to authorities for processing rather than trying to evade U.S. or European border controls, with the knowledge that backlogs and little political will for the removal of vulnerable populations might allow them to stay for extended periods.

Feature

October 16, 2014

Pushing Out the Boundaries of Humanitarian Screening with In-Country and Offshore Processing

Recent surges in the arrival of unauthorized migrants with possible humanitarian claims have prompted the United States and the European Union to consider in-country and offshore processing for some refugee and asylum applications. As this article explores, some of the questions raised about the feasibility of such programs include their consistency with humanitarian law and their effectiveness in reducing unwanted entries.

Top Ten

December 17, 2013

Is Europe Faltering in Addressing its Multiple Migration Challenges?

A number of interlocking concerns have emerged in recent months regarding the rights of mobile EU citizens, fueled in part by euroskeptic parties (such as the UK Independence Party), and more hard-line anti-immigration parties such as the Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands.

Recent Activity

Policy Briefs

February 2021

COVID-19 and the Demand for Labor and Skills in Europe: Early Evidence and Implications for Migration Policy

While the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on European labor markets have focused attention on weathering this crisis, Europe also faces longer-term challenges linked to technological and demographic changes. This issue brief examines how the pandemic is reshaping demand for workers and skills in Europe, what this means for migration policy, and strategies for tackling both short- and long-term labor market challenges.

Video, Audio

February 5, 2021

A Way Forward on Migration Under the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union?

With Portugal assuming the EU Presidency in January 2021 and prioritizing progress on the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, this webinar features senior officials from the European Union, Germany (the last holder of the presidency), and Portugal to take stock of where conversations on the pact stand and Portugal’s plans for taking forward the negotiations.

Articles

January 7, 2021

Faith and Mental Health Help Shape the Integration of Muslim Refugees in Germany

Faith plays a significant role in the mental health and social integration of refugees and asylum seekers. Yet in Germany, concerns about Islam and migrants from Muslim-majority countries have complicated social cohesion efforts, particularly in the wake of the 2015-16 refugee and migration crisis.

Reports

November 2020

The Next Generation of Refugee Resettlement in Europe: Ambitions for the Future and How to Realize Them

In recent years, the European Union and some of its Member States have taken on a greater role in global refugee resettlement, expanding or launching new programs and experimenting with creative approaches to providing protection to those in need. This report looks ahead to how these efforts, investments, and lessons learned can be built upon, even in the face of the uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Video, Audio, Webinars

November 18, 2020

Welfare States and Migration: How Will the Pandemic Reshape a Complex Relationship?

This MPI Europe webinar reflects on the implications of this current moment for European economies and societies and the role of immigration and immigrant integration policy, and highlight research from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre on the fiscal and demographic impacts of migration.

Reports

November 2020

Building Welcome from the Ground up: European Small and Rural Communities Engaging in Refugee Resettlement

Small towns and rural areas within Europe have become more active in receiving resettled refugees in recent years. How is resettlement to these communities different compared to urban areas? And what can be done to make good on the promise of “rural welcoming”? This report explores these questions, drawing on interviews with resettled refugees and receiving-community members in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

Reports

November 2020

Managing the Pandemic and Its Aftermath: Economies, Jobs, and International Migration in the Age of COVID-19

Around the world, governments are grappling with how to combat the COVID-19 pandemic while also managing the economic fallout of policies put in place to stop the virus’ spread. Global migration has dropped sharply amid border closures and travel restrictions. This reflection takes stock of policy responses to the pandemic thus far, and of the challenges (and some opportunities) on the horizon for migration systems, labor markets, and integration of newcomers.

Video, Audio, Webinars

October 22, 2020

COVID-19, the Withdrawal Agreement and Citizens' Rights: No Time to Waste

This webinar explores how governments’ implementation plans for the Brexit withdrawal agreement have been affected by COVID-19, and the potential implications for citizens’ rights at the end of the transition period and beyond. Among the topics covered: which mobile populations are most at risk at the intersection between Brexit and the pandemic, and what contingency measures might mitigate these vulnerabilities and keep timelines on track.

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