Sharing responsibility for refugees and expanding legal migration. 2017 MEDAM ASSESSMENT REPORT ON ASYLUM AND MIGRATION POLICIES IN EUROPE

Barslund, Mikkel and Akgüç, Mehtap and Laurentsyeva, Nadzeya and Ludolph, Lars (2017) Sharing responsibility for refugees and expanding legal migration. 2017 MEDAM ASSESSMENT REPORT ON ASYLUM AND MIGRATION POLICIES IN EUROPE. UNSPECIFIED.

PDF - Published Version Download (6Mb)

Abstract

From the Introduction. Throughout the EU, policy makers and voters are uncertain about the best way forward for policies on asylum, immigration, and immigrant integration. The number of asylum seekers who enter the EU irregularly has declined sharply from its peak in late 2015, offering a much-needed respite to over-stretched reception systems in the few EU countries that have received most asylum seekers. However, the policies that brought about this reduction – mainly, the EU’s agreement with Turkey to curb irregular migration and the closure of land borders in the Western Balkans to irregular migrants – will be difficult to sustain. It is not clear how the humanitarian emergencies that currently afflict migrants in Greece and the Western Balkans can be addressed without encouraging a resurgence of irregular immigration. It will also be difficult to implement similar measures along the central Mediterranean migrant route from Libya to Italy, where the number of new arrivals has been roughly constant for several years, and there is no other country on that route that could conceivably host refugees to the extent that Turkey does. Finally, there is no viable reform in sight for the EU asylum system (the ‘Dublin’ regulations) to ensure that EU member states share responsibility for hosting refugees more equitably.

Actions (login required)