Impact of European Legislation in Migration Flows across EU borders

Abstract

This work outlines issues related to migratory policy in the European Union. The aim o f the work is to determine whether or not the European Union has been successful in reducing the push factors that lead to migratory flows. This work outline the historical situation o f migration in Europe from early post war migrations o f guest workers to the imposition o f restrictive policies intended to reduce migratory flows. General theories related to migration are discussed as are some o f the problems associated with migration policy formation. The complexity o f policy formation is exhibited by the variety o f restrictive policies implemented in differing member states due to voter opinion and economic factors. Restrictive policies imposed on third country nationals are shown to be ineffectual in reducing migratory flows. The paper ends with suggestions on how the European Union can become more effective in reducing the push factors leading to migration. Key words: Migration, Migration Policy. European Union, Remittances