Instituto de Estudios Políticos y Derecho Público "Dr. Humberto J. La Roche"
de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas de la Universidad del Zulia
Maracaibo, Venezuela
Esta publicación cientíca en formato digital es continuidad de la revista impresa
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ppi 201502ZU4645
Vol.41 N° 78
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Septiembre
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Recibido el 12/03/23 Aceptado el 03/06/23
ISSN 0798- 1406 ~ De pó si to le gal pp 198502ZU132
Cues tio nes Po lí ti cas
La re vis ta Cues tio nes Po lí ti cas, es una pu bli ca ción aus pi cia da por el Ins ti tu to
de Es tu dios Po lí ti cos y De re cho Pú bli co “Dr. Hum ber to J. La Ro che” (IEPDP) de la Fa-
cul tad de Cien cias Ju rí di cas y Po lí ti cas de la Uni ver si dad del Zu lia.
En tre sus ob je ti vos fi gu ran: con tri buir con el pro gre so cien tí fi co de las Cien cias
Hu ma nas y So cia les, a tra vés de la di vul ga ción de los re sul ta dos lo gra dos por sus in ves-
ti ga do res; es ti mu lar la in ves ti ga ción en es tas áreas del sa ber; y pro pi ciar la pre sen ta-
ción, dis cu sión y con fron ta ción de las ideas y avan ces cien tí fi cos con com pro mi so so cial.
Cues tio nes Po lí ti cas apa re ce dos ve ces al año y pu bli ca tra ba jos ori gi na les con
avan ces o re sul ta dos de in ves ti ga ción en las áreas de Cien cia Po lí ti ca y De re cho Pú bli-
co, los cua les son so me ti dos a la con si de ra ción de ár bi tros ca li fi ca dos.
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Vol. 41, Nº 78 (2023), 440-455
IEPDP-Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas - LUZ
European Union migration policy:
Current problems and prospects for analysis
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46398/cuestpol.4178.31
Kateryna Bannikova *
Olena Sviatun **
Maryna Shevchenko ***
Nataliia Bielousova ****
Volodymyr Saienko *****
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the migration policy of
the European Union EU and to identify its strengths and problems
requiring improvement. In order to achieve the objectives,
set, international standards, EU legislation, the analysis of EU
statistical data and the study of scientic opinions on the problem
have been analyzed. It is concluded that the main areas of EU
migration policy are the following: the principle of human rights
and freedoms; political equality and mutual assistance of the
member states of the union; border protection and prevention of illegal
migration; integration and inclusion of migrants in the social phenomena of
the receiving country; management of migration processes and migration
management; negotiation and cooperation policies with third countries;
ensuring “circular migration”; active participation of the labor force,
particularly highly skilled workers; active participation of migrants in the
labor market and of their families, which is a key factor for the success of
migration.
Keywords: migration crisis; integration of migrants; inclusion of
migrants; circular migration; EU cohesion policy.
* Ph.D., Scientic degree: Candidate. Specialty: Sociological sciences. 22.00.04, Head of People Oxford
Quantum Circuits Thames Valley Science Park Shineld, Reading RG2 9LH, United Kingdom. ORCID
ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5696-1033
** Ph.D., in EU Law, Associate Professor, Chair of Comparative and European Law, ES Institute of
International Relations Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv 36/1 Yuriia Illienka St., 04073
Kyiv, Ukraine. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2650-1124
*** Ph.D., (Candidate of Science) in Economics, Associate Professor of the Department of Accounting and
Finance, Educational and Scientic Institute of Economics, Management and International Business,
National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute", Kharkiv, Ukraine. ORCID ID: https://
orcid.org/0000-0003-2165-9907
**** Ph.D., (Political Sciences), Associated Professor, Department of International Information, Educational
and scientic institute of international relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv,
Volodymyrska 64/13, Kiev, 01601, Ukraine. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9656-2942
***** DSc. (in organization and management), Professor of the Department of Innovation Management,
Faculty of Social Sciences, Academy of Applied Sciences – Academy of Management and Administration
in Opole (Poland), 45-085 Opole (Poland), ul. Mieczysława Niedziałkowskiego 18. ORCID ID: https://
orcid.org/0000-0003-2736-0017
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Política migratoria de la Unión Europea: Problemas
actuales y perspectivas de análisis
Resumen
El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar la política migratoria de la
Unión europea UE e identicar sus puntos fuertes y los problemas que
requieren mejoras. Para alcanzar los objetivos jados se han analizado
las normas internacionales, la legislación de la UE, el análisis de los datos
estadísticos de la Unión Europea y el estudio de las opiniones cientícas
sobre la problemática. Se concluye que los principales ámbitos de la política
migratoria de la UE son los siguientes: el principio de los derechos humanos
y las libertades; la igualdad política y la asistencia mutua de los Estados
miembros de la unión; la protección de las fronteras y la prevención de
la migración ilegal; la integración y la inclusión de los migrantes en los
fenómenos sociales del país receptor; la gestión de los procesos migratorios
y la gestión de la migración; las políticas de negociación y cooperación
con terceros países; la garantía de la “migración circular”; la participación
activa de la mano de obra, en particular, de los trabajadores altamente
cualicados; la participación activa de los migrantes en el mercado laboral
y de sus familias, que es un factor clave para el éxito de la migración.
Palabras clave: crisis migratoria; integración de los migrantes;
inclusión de los migrantes; migración circular; política
de cohesión de la UE.
Introduction
The presence in the world of a large number of states with unfavorable
living conditions causes a signicant migration of people to the countries
of the European Union. Wars, economic and social instability, poverty,
unfavorable climatic conditions have always existed, but with the
development of the information eld, more and more citizens of third
countries began to learn about democratic living conditions, economic
stability, social security, equal rights, and real opportunities for protection
in the EU countries, distinguished by their democracy and liberality. Thanks
to the EU’s chosen migration policy, it becomes a haven for hundreds of
thousands of migrants every year.
a. Research Problem
Scholars are actively studying the migration policy of the European
Union. Ceccorulli (2022) noted the need to improve the approach of tripartite
migration diplomacy, using EU and Italian cooperation with Libya as an
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example, which stopped signicant ows of irregular migrants, prevented
their trauma, and transformed these phenomena into legal ones. Giua et
al. (2022) cited Italy’s positive experience with the economic integration of
immigrants in Italy. Suchyk (2022) noted the need to improve migration
law and migration management as regulators of migration processes. Zardo
(2022) concluded on the practice of creating a geopolitical space for Africa
through migration policy instruments. Zastavna (2021) examined EU
migration policy in the context of European Union security.
b. Research Focus
The focus of the study was on the directions of the migration policy of
the European Union, issues of its practical implementation, successful cases
of overcoming the migration crisis in the EU countries, new challenges
caused by constant changes in the geopolitical situation of the world, the
consequences of the pandemic, the military oensive in Ukraine and the
policy of migrants from Ukraine.
c. Research Aim and Research Questions
The purpose of this study was to analyze EU migration policy in the
context of the dynamics of migration phenomena in the world.
Objectives of the study: the research of EU legislation and academic
papers was carried out, thanks to which the correlation between the EU
migration policy enshrined in law and its implementation in practice
was revealed. Achievements in overcoming the migration crisis and
shortcomings of the EU migration policy were identied.
The hypothesis of the research: it is proposed to further solve the
problem of implementation of the migration policy of the EU by individual
countries, to conduct further research, including economic and social, to
build a benecial system of distribution of migrants in the EU countries, to
reach an agreement between all EU countries regarding the implementation
of migration policy in the direction of human rights, to use the workforce of
migrants, to introduce inclusion and integration.
1. Research Methodology
1.1. General Background
To implement the objectives, the study was carried out by certain stages
in a combination of analysis of theoretical material, statistical data. Such
stages were: search of statistical data, analytical reports of international
organizations, search of scientic literature; analysis of statistical data
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and scientic sources; comparison and comparison of revealed data,
development of conclusions and recommendations.
1.2. Sample / Participants / Group
The empirical basis of the study was the statistical data of the European
Union Eurostat, international treaties, scientic works.
1.3. Instrument and Procedures
In order to implement the objectives, the study was carried out in certain
stages in a combination of analysis of theoretical and statistical material
and practical tasks. Such stages were:
1. searching for empirical data and scientic sources;
2. analysis of these data and sources;
3. comparing and contrasting data by year, providing conclusions and
recommendations, forecasting.
1.4. Data Analysis
The system of general scientic and special scientic methods was
chosen as the methodological basis. The main method chosen was the
analytical method, which allows us to identify the impact of EU migration
policy on migration processes and the eectiveness of its implementation.
The integrated method allowed to combine the knowledge and practice
of various branches, in particular sociological and legal research. The
synergetic methodology allowed to determine further directions in the
migration policy of the EU.
2. Research Results
Migration aects the internal situation in the country, the demographic,
social, economic, and foreign economic spheres of life depend on it.
Therefore, any country, based on its geopolitical position, develops its
internal and external migration policy. Migration policy is a complex
system of interconnections - economic, legal, informational, demographic
structure (Suchyk, 2021).
The modern global community should focus more attention on active
migration processes and carry out a revision of migration policy, update
migration legislation, which is constantly being improved and developed.
Migration processes should be more controlled and regulated. The new
century is characterized by an increase in migration, refugees, and internally
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European Union migration policy: Current problems and prospects for analysis
displaced persons. And the most developed countries were not ready for
joint solutions and actions (Suchyk, 2021).
Living conditions in European Union (EU) countries, their natural,
political, economic components, democratic structure, liberal approach
make these countries attractive for a signicant number of people living
in less developed countries, territories with unfavorable climate, military
actions, etc. (Zastavna, 2021). Migration occurs constantly, increasing
and changing its character over the years, at certain periods there are
unprecedented events in migration processes, which cause migration crises
and reveal all the weaknesses of EU migration policy.
There has been constant migration from existing hot spots in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Myanmar, South
Sudan, Syria, the Sahel region, Venezuela, and Yemen. The COVID-19
situation created new challenges that needed to be addressed quickly. The
years 2021-2022 became a new test for the EU through a full-scale invasion
of Ukraine and the coming to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan (EUAA,
2022). The issue of military action in Ukraine deserves special attention,
as it has led to the emergence of large-scale population displacement,
disruption of the international economy, logistics, energy supply, trade,
the need for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the introduction of
sanctions on the aggressor states (Eurostat, 2022).
Within the EU, dierent countries apply the Union’s migration policies
dierently, for example, in 2019 93% of asylum seekers from Afghanistan
were granted protection in Italy and only 2% in Hungary (Malynovska,
2021). The migration policies of individual countries can lead to severe
consequences for the fate of migrants, so their issue requires legal regulation
and continuous improvement (Ceccorulli, 2022). Issues of migration policy
were important and relevant, as they concern the fate of a signicant
number of people forced to seek protection or better living conditions.
In this regard, recent scholarship on EU migration policy “has focused
on the transition from legally binding instruments to exible instruments,
such as mobility partnerships, migration agreements, and readmission
agreements” (Zardo, 2022: 165). The need to transform European politics
and overcome political struggles and cooperation in contentious areas has
been identied (Zardo, 2022).
However, some scholars, in particular, Zastavna (2022) emphasize
that migration policy cannot be the same for all EU countries, internally
dened and related to the crossing of state borders. It is impossible not to
agree because in the EU a country has independent social and economic
processes, because modern science oers various tools that can be used to
change statements (Melnychenko, 2021). At the same time, being part of
the EU imposes the obligation to adhere to the principles of EU migration
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policy. Therefore, this issue needs further economic research to achieve
mutually benecial results.
EU migration policy is marked by international regulations, conventions,
and treaties. Thus, the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
(1951) provides for the right of everyone to seek asylum for protection from
persecution or the danger of war. It denes the concept of refugee status,
its basic rights, and obligations, in particular the right to work, education,
social security. A special international organization, the International
Organization for Migration (IOM), was also created in 1951 to organize and
coordinate the migration policies of states and organizations and to provide
them with advisory, informational, and technical support (Suchyk, 2022).
The European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers
(1977) denes the legal aspects of migrant workers, citizens of the contract
party, in particular recruitment, medical examinations, work permits,
professional tests, travel, residence permits, termination of employment
contracts, working conditions, transfer of savings and social security, social
and medical assistance, dismissal and reemployment, family reunication.
Issues of social responsibility today are most relevant in terms of
achieving not only the goals of one socio-economic level, but also in terms
of the goals of the higher level of development (Bulkot, 2021). These include
the digitalization of the economy, the development of concepts of sustainable
development and sustainability of the regional economy, functioning under
the permanent action of various crisis phenomena (Buriak and Petchenko,
2021).
The joint migration policy of EU member states began to take shape
after the Amsterdam Treaty came into force in 1999 and had the following
areas: the prevention of illegal migration, the participation of migrants
in the development of the economy of host countries, the integration of
migrants into society, and joint actions in these areas (Malynovska, 2021).
The Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force in 2009 and dened the role of
the EU in EU foreign and internal security policy, contains more provisions
for combating illegal migration. The Lisbon Treaty includes an interest in
high-skilled migrants (Suchyk, 2022).
The process of agreeing on common principles and means of migration
management took a long time, and countries had their own views and
dierent benets of adhering to certain principles, but nevertheless reached
some agreements. In 2006, the Schengen Borders Code (2006) was adopted,
which stipulated the rules of movement of persons at internal and external
EU borders, the conditions for entry of third-country nationals, declaring
that “Creating a space in which the free movement of people across internal
borders is ensured is one of the main achievements of the Union. In 2009,
the EU Visa Code” (Visa Code, 2009) was adopted.
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European Union migration policy: Current problems and prospects for analysis
It regulates the rules of stay for the citizens who are subject to visa
requirements, the obligation of consular oces, the rules of transit through
international airport areas in order to combat illegal immigration, setting
a high standard of services for the population, monitoring of migration
movements by means of statistical observation. Organizations enforcing
these and other acts are the European Agency for External Borders
Protection (FRONTEX), the European Asylum Support Oce (EASO), and
others (Malynovska, 2021). The European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) is
active in supporting member states, exchanging information between them,
supporting improvements, and acting as a resource for practical, legal,
technical, advisory, and operational assistance (EUAA, 2022). An informal
expert group on the views of migrants took part in the development of the
2021-2024 action plan on integration and inclusion to provide expertise
and advice on all migration and asylum issues (Malynovska, 2021).
The year 2021 brought advances toward the implementation of the
Migration and Asylum Pact, while a further political agreement has yet to
be reached on some key elements of the Pact. Also, in 2021 progress was
made in other areas of asylum. In June 2021, the European Commission
presented the Schengen strategy, while eorts continued to ensure the
interoperability of large-scale IT systems in the areas of justice, freedom,
and security. Because integration is integral to an eective migration
management system, the Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion was
launched in 2021 (EUAA, 2022).
In 2022, the EU introduced through Council Implementing Decision
2022/382 of 4 March 2022 (2022) the legal status of temporary protection
for displaced persons from Ukraine due to military action on its territory. As
the invasion was intended to undermine European and global security and
stability, in agrant violation of international law, the EU has demonstrated
and will continue to demonstrate its strong support for Ukraine and citizens
facing an unprecedented act of aggression.
This decision was part of the Union’s response to the migration
pressure caused by the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. Citizens of
Ukraine were exempted from the visa requirement and were assisted with
family reunication, employment, education, etc. A very large number of
displaced persons were expected, from 2.5 million to 6.5 million (Council
Implementing Decision 2022/382, 2022).
Despite the existence of a large number of regulations, there were
still gaps in migration legislation, imperfect mechanisms of practical
implementation of legal norms, which threatened the adopted norms due
to the lack of common policies of member states. And the unregulated
situation in migration processes can have dire consequences for all subjects.
In particular, is the great mortality and injury of irregular migrants during
movements between countries, in cargo or technical facilities, without
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proper conditions. The danger of commercial transport vessels used to
move irregular migrants and refugees.
Danger to EU residents due to being caught by criminals (Zastavna,
2021). In order to prevent the occurrence of these dangerous situations,
the EU is engaged in considerable work in negotiations, particularly
with African countries of origin of migrants to stop or prevent migration
processes. During these negotiations, the EU focuses on stopping migrant
deaths and exploitation (Ceccorulli, 2022).
The EU’s external international relations, in particular, are aimed at
managing migration processes. The emergence of the refugee crisis in
2015 was an occasion to intensify eorts to improve EU migration policy
(Zardo, 2022). Suchyk (2022) concluded that the migration crisis within
the European Union (EU) in 2014-2015 showed the vulnerability of
migration policies and the failure of most European countries to stabilize
large numbers of migrants and mutual benets. And “the migration crisis
within Europe was a consequence of the ‘tolerant’ migration policy of the
European Union” (Zastavna, 2022: 277). Using the example of the 2014-
2015 migration crisis, Suchyk I.V. (2022) assumed that mass migration
processes caused by military actions in Ukraine could destabilize EU
countries.
Therefore, it is necessary to revise global migration legislation, to form
an eective migration policy of Ukraine. As a result of the “Arab Spring”,
the war in Syria, poverty, inhumane living conditions in 2014-2016, tens
of thousands of illegal refugees illegally tried to get to Europe through the
sea route in the Mediterranean Sea, from the North African coast to Malta,
Italy, Spain, and from there to Greece.
The death toll on these routes in 2015 was 4,054 and in 2016. - 5143 people
(Malynovska, 2021). From 2016 to 2017, one of the largest transits of illegal
migrants from Libya and Africa passed through the Central Mediterranean,
with a landing in Italy. In 2016, there were a record 180,000 migrants.
This entailed many immediate problems and the question of closing the
corridor, particularly because of Libya’s policies. Migration diplomacy was
applied (Ceccorulli, 2022).
The reasons for the EU migration crisis were: hostilities in Africa and
the Middle East; economic crisis, poverty of countries, unemployment;
migrants’ desire for family reunication, access to information about the
procedure and rights of refugee status in the EU; climatic and natural
conditions that threaten life (Zastavna, 2021).
One of the factors inuencing the migration policy of the EU is the
geographical proximity and historical past of certain countries with the
countries of the European Union. In the example of relations between Italy
and Libya, we can say that their colonial past, geographical proximity, and
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European Union migration policy: Current problems and prospects for analysis
mutual economic interests enhance migration processes between citizens
of these countries. And the ability to control Libya’s borders and maintain
its sovereignty was a priority for the EU since Libya was the main gateway
for illegal migrants to enter and spread across European Union territory
(Ceccorulli, 2022).
Figure 1: Factors aecting asylum procedures.
Sources: (EUAA, 2022)
National asylum and reception authorities in EU countries have
continued to digitalize processes. The COVID-19 pandemic and related
restrictions continue to have a strong impact on asylum and reception
systems around the world. The deteriorating security and human rights
situation in Afghanistan in 2021 have led to waves of displacement in
general, in addition to increased risks for certain populations. The full-
scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 caused an inux of asylum
seekers from day one, with EU countries sheltering and providing living
conditions for over a million Ukrainians, women with children, and the
elderly (EUAA, 2022).
Because of this situation, it was necessary to urgently implement
measures to resolve the situation and stop illegal migration ows. Control
was restored at the external borders of the European Union, and the number
of migrants was restored and contained. Already in 2019, compared to
2015, the number of attempts to cross the EU border illegally decreased by
92%, and the number of detected illegal migrants decreased by 70%.
After the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, during January-November
2020, the number of attempts to cross the EU border illegally was 10%
lower than the previous year. The number of foreigners applying for asylum
was in 2019. 700,000. This was due to an increase in applications from
citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, the Western Balkans (Malynovska,
2021).
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The EU received 648,000 international protection applications in 2021,
a third of the 2020 level and the same as in 2018. In the rst few months
of 2021, the level of applications remained roughly stable. But around
the middle of the year, the number of applications began to increase,
culminating in two month-long peaks in September and November 2021.
The peaks were largely the result of more applications from Afghans and
Syrians, including many repeat applications from Afghans. The largest
group of applicants were Syrians in 2021, with about 117,000 applications
in the EU, followed by Afghans with 102,000 applications, Iraqi nationals
with 30,000 applications, Pakistan and Turkey with 25,000 each, and
Bangladesh with 20,020. After the start of full-scale hostilities in Ukraine
in February 2022, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary were the rst
to accept millions of displaced persons (EUAA, 2022).
Table 1: Number of Ukrainians who received temporary protection
Country September 2022, persons August 2022, persons
Poland 53 545 67 280
Germany 51 980 62 140
Romania 9 715 9 725
Ireland 4 925 5 825
Sources: (UEAA, 2022)
From the table above we can see how the number of Ukrainians who
received temporary protection in EU countries is changing. We can
conclude that the largest number of Ukrainians migrated to Poland and
Germany, a process that continues. In these countries, the number of
migrants is gradually decreasing, remaining stable in Romania and Ireland.
We can conclude that even now countries unequally implement the norms
of migration policy in the EU, which aects the unequal burden on the
economies of other countries.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that the number
of Ukrainians who have left the country since the start of the full-scale war
had reached more than 3 million as of mid-March. From the beginning of
the war until early May 2022, about 12.8 million people became refugees in
Ukraine, of which 7.7 million people were internally displaced, representing
17.5% of the total population of the country. The UN High Commissioner for
Refugees estimates that as of April 23, 2022, more than 5.1 million people
left Ukraine, including about 2.9 million to Poland, 774,000 to Romania,
490,000 to Hungary, 443,000 to Moldova, 354,000 to Slovakia (Suchyk,
2021).
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European Union migration policy: Current problems and prospects for analysis
To solve the migration crisis, it is necessary to carry out a number of
coordinated eorts at dierent levels, in all EU countries. First of all, the
EU’s position on the contradiction of expelling migrants or enforcing human
rights needs to be clearly dened. After all, human rights are fundamental
to all EU norms. It should be noted that despite such slogans, individual
EU states are setting fairly strict policies toward migrants. The countries
receiving migrants - Greece, Croatia, Italy (Zastavna, 2021), and from 2022
Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary - are most interested in improving
migration policy on issues of the expulsion of migrants while respecting
their rights.
A policy of negotiation and cooperation with third countries to explore
borders, the spatial impact of migration control, the construction of
extraterritorial processing zones, camps, and “buer zones” of detention
in countries of origin or transit has been chosen as a way to resolve the
migration crisis (Zardo, 2022).
In this sense, migration diplomacy seems useful. After all, it contains
the potential to build mutually benecial migration relations of actors and
prevent irregular migration ows (Ceccorulli, 2022). According to a study
conducted by Zardo (2022), it was concluded that “political instruments
are not only signs of political choice, but also structure the political process
and its outcomes”.
The scholar investigated the impact of bilateral relations between EU
member states and African countries, which consisted in creating models
of geopolitical space with the EU’s southern neighbors and helped to
respond quickly to the migration crisis. Through the application of a semi-
state instrument, the impact of migration from Africa on the “European
representation of the EU-Africa geopolitical space” was studied (Zardo,
2022).
Another way to reduce the number of migrants is to provide EU-wide
“circular migration,” in which migrants with long-term visas are free to
move across EU borders (Zastavna, 2021).
To reduce the eects of migration crises, EU countries are applying
immigration policies to highly skilled workers (Suchyk, 2022). This was a
new proposal by European organizations, Talent Partnerships, which oers
active labor recruitment, training, and employment for migrants with
professional skills. For this purpose, it was planned to increase cooperation
with countries of origin (Malynovska, 2021).
Particular attention should be paid to regulating policies regarding newly
arrived migrants who have committed crimes or other oenses within the
EU and irregular migrants. It has been suggested that the new policy should
be based on the integration of migrants, the organization of relations with
the local population, and the provision of basic medical, educational, and
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employment services. The establishment of political relations with EU
member states in cooperation and interaction in the eld of migration and
building a dialogue based on compromise and equality of EU countries with
third countries has a positive impact (Zastavna, 2021).
The modern world and the processes taking place in it have conditioned
the necessity of applying the policy of cohesion of the EU countries for
the inclusion and economic integration of migrants. An example of such
inclusion is the experience of Italy, in which during 2007-2018 as a result of
a number of measures, in particular, to support employment and mobility,
it was achieved to reduce the wage gap between migrants and natives to
7.6% (Giua et al., 2022). According to Malynovska (2021: 277): “migrant
integration is seen in the broader context of social inclusion but occupies
a key role in the relevant agenda”. Information exchange processes,
experiences, cooperation between cities and countries, and businesses
within the EU are noted positively.
Giua et al. (2022: 44) nd that little attention has been paid to the
question of the impact of cohesion policy on inclusion. In their opinion,
“This requires identifying a subset of interventions aimed at promoting
inclusion and linking them to changes in inclusion pathways for the same
recipients”. So, focusing on the impact of projects promoting the integration
of immigrants in Italy, the rst evidence of a causal eect of EU policies on
inclusion was found.
Ukrainian scholars agree on the positive impact of inclusion and
integration on legal migration processes, noting separately the important
role of local, national government policies. Contemporary migration policy
is a continuation of established measures, characterized by dynamism,
constant updating, and solving all new tasks, in particular, to reduce
political discussions between member states, border protection, and
solidarity with receiving countries of migrants, despite the denial of some
countries, zarym Hungary, which insists on the need to stop migration to
the EU (Malynovska, 2021).
Building an inclusive Europe is at the core of the era of the next generation
of the EU. And the principle of inclusion dominates the revitalization of
Europe’s economy and society. The continuation of the policy of cohesion
that has begun in Europe is a priority in the functioning of the EU (Giua et
al., 2022). The latest advances in science and technology demonstrate the
need to transform public life (Filipova et al., 2021).
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Kateryna Bannikova, Olena Sviatun, Maryna Shevchenko, Nataliia Bielousova y Volodymyr Saienko
European Union migration policy: Current problems and prospects for analysis
3. Discussion
The results show that the EU migration policy aimed at the observance
of human rights and freedoms is characterized by liberalism. This has
led to an inux of migrants into the EU, illegal migration, and an uneven
migration burden on EU countries. The work was analyzed by Zastavna
(2021), who examined the migration policy of the EU in the context of the
security of European Union countries and insisted on taking into account
the interests of some countries that do not share the views on the migration
policy of the EU and do not want to accept migrants. However, one must
agree with the conclusions of scholars such as Giua et al. (2022) on the
need to accept migrants in the future, while introducing new methods of
implementing EU migration policy.
To conrm this, attention is drawn to Italy’s positive experience with
the economic integration of immigrants in Italy and the equation of their
wage levels almost with those of the natives. Ceccorulli (2022) continues,
noting the need to improve the tripartite approach to migration diplomacy
on the example of EU and Italian cooperation with Libya, which has
resulted in stopping signicant ows of irregular migrants. At the same
time, attention should be paid to the study of Suchyk (2022), who noted the
need to improve migration law and migration management as regulators of
migration processes, including in migrants’ countries of origin.
The ndings of Zardo (2022) on the practice of creating a geopolitical
space for Africa through migration policy instruments are interesting for
further research. as interconnected links of trade. This study was a logical
continuation of scholarly works that raise issues of EU migration law and
need further study.
Conclusions and Implications
After conducting this study, a number of conclusions can be made. Wars,
cataclysms, political situation, limitation of human rights in Afghanistan,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Myanmar,
South Sudan, Syria, the Sahel region, Venezuela, and Yemen, countries
of Africa created unbearable conditions for people. The war in Ukraine in
2022 caused danger for citizens.
Escaping from unfavorable living conditions people very often nd
them in the European Union, which is geographically conveniently located,
receives migrants in large numbers, provides them with social, medical
care, housing, and assistance in education and employment, pursues a
policy of liberality and human rights. The situation with COVID-19 led to
the necessity of promptly solving new tasks. However, all of the above has
led to the migration crisis and other problems in the EU countries.
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The causes of the EU migration crisis were: hostilities in Africa and
the Middle East; economic crisis, poverty of countries, unemployment;
access to information about the procedure and rights of refugee status in
the EU; the desire of migrants for family reunication, climatic and natural
conditions that threaten life. Within the EU, dierent countries apply the
norms of the Union’s migration policy in dierent ways. Yes, Poland shares
the migration policy of the EU, while Hungary opposes the admission of
migrants altogether.
Refusal to accept migrants can have grave consequences for their fate,
and the presence of large numbers of migrants, including illegal ones,
negatively aects the socio-economic situation of countries and poses
a threat to the native population. Therefore, the rst task is to achieve a
balance between the interests of the EU countries. In order to solve the
migration crisis, it is necessary to carry out a number of coordinated eorts
at dierent levels, in all EU countries.
In particular, the directions for improving EU migration policy are the
principle of respect for human rights and freedoms, which must be respected
for both legal and illegal migrants; political equality and mutual assistance
of the member states; protection of borders and prevention of illegal
migration; integration and inclusion of migrants into the social phenomena
of the country; migration management, migration management; policies
of negotiation and cooperation with third countries; ensuring “circular
migration”; active involvement of labor force, in particular highly qualied
specialists in employment; EU cohesion policies.
The scientic study continued to consider the problems of EU migration
policy, taking into account the new challenges and tasks of the modern
world, provided conclusions and recommendations.
Prospects for further research. The works of scholars who have
studied the problems of EU migration policy have received follow-up
attention. It has been revealed that the majority of authors support
the liberal EU policy on migrants and emphasize the need to solve the
problems arising in this connection in the EU countries. The scientic
literature reveals ambiguous conclusions on the observance of the interests
of individual countries and deviations from the EU migration policy. This
issue will have to be investigated in the future.
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Esta revista fue editada en formato digital y publicada
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Vol.41 Nº 78
