25 research outputs found
Book review: Europeâs migrant policies: illusions of integration
Recent years have seen an increasing polarization of views on the EU, with many now debating its relevance in contemporary European politics. Europeâs Migrant Policies: Illusions of Integration examines the role and effectiveness of the EU in developing common migrant integration policies across Europe since the 1990s. Ruben Zaiotti welcomes the bookâs contribution to debate about the EUâs role through rich empirical case studies. Its findings are also a cautionary tale for those who believe in the inevitability of European integration
Romania and Bulgaria have not been admitted to the Schengen Agreement because of the deep seated anxiety of the treatyâs current members about the regimeâs future
Where will the Schengen Agreement be ten years from now? Ruben Zaiotti explores why its signatories are currently hesitant to admit Romania and Bulgaria. He argues that in the wake of the financial and economic crisis the Romanian and Bulgarian governments can only hope that Schengen clubâs chronic anxiety can be channelled against someone else
Europe is suffering from a psychological blind spot over migration in the Mediterranean
The death of migrants in the Mediterranean remains a significant problem for EU migration policy. Ruben Zaiotti argues that Europeâs approach to the issue can effectively be termed a type of âexternalisationâ, in which the responsibility for migration has been off loaded to origin and transit countries. He writes that the best explanation for why Europe has adopted this model may be a psychological one, related to the internal dynamics within EU states
Escalating a âvisa warâ with Russia could offer the EU an option to exert pressure over Ukraine
The EU has warned Russia that it could face stronger sanctions over the Ukraine crisis. Ruben Zaiotti writes on the role that visas could play in EU sanctions. He notes that applications from Russia make up the largest share of all Schengen visas issued and that Russia has one of the lowest visa refusal rates in Schengen states. He argues that taking a harder line on visa applications from Russia could therefore offer a natural route to exert pressure over Ukraine, however such a policy would also carry a significant cost for EU countries
Margaret Thatcherâs fixation on national borders played a fundamental role in the making of the Schengen regime.
For nearly twenty years, the Schengen policy regime has guaranteed freedom of movement throughout much of the EU. Ruben Zaiotti reflects on former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcherâs opposition to Schengen: opposition which was based on a fixation on national borders and the apparent protection that they provide. He writes that in light of these criticisms, Schengenâs architects designed the regime to have the flexibility to cope with political turbulence and Euroscepticism, ensuring its success
The elephant in Europeâs living room: why the EUâs crisis summit must tackle the root causes of migration
EU ministers are due to meet on 14 September for an emergency summit on the ongoing migration crisis. Ruben Zaiotti writes that the real focus of the meeting should be on addressing the root causes of migration. He argues that while many of the factors underpinning the migration crisis, such as instability in the Middle East, are impossible to solve in the short-term, this should not be used as an excuse to avoid discussing what Europe can do to reduce the likelihood of future crises from occurring
The latest agreement on the governance of the Schengen border control regime simply revamps old rules and changes little on the ground.
Concerned by growing migratory pressures on Europeâs external borders, some EU member states have called for a revision of the rules regarding the imposition of national border controls within the EU. Ruben Zaiotti examines the recent agreement on the governance of the Schengen border control regime, which aims to clarify how these controls might operate. He argues that the agreement is a political one that gives relatively vague solutions to what are complex problems, and that the next crisis over Schengen is only a matter of time
La propagation de la sĂ©curitĂ©Â : lâEurope et la schengenisation de la Politique de voisinage
Lâobjectif de la PEV est de crĂ©er une « communautĂ© de sĂ©curité » dans laquelle lâUE et ses voisins pourraient bĂ©nĂ©ficier de « relations proches, pacifiques et coopĂ©ratives ». En dĂ©pit des objectifs affichĂ©s, le rĂŽle de la sĂ©curitĂ© est bien plus important dans la PEV que ce que laissent entendre ses dĂ©fenseurs. Au lieu dâinciter les voisins Ă y participer, les mesures sĂ©curitaires de cette politique portent atteinte Ă la promesse dâobtenir un meilleur accĂšs au marchĂ© commun europĂ©en. La PEV semble reflĂ©ter une vision euro-centrĂ©e de la sĂ©curitĂ© rĂ©gionale, remettant en cause lâidĂ©e dâun partenariat entre lâUE et ses voisins. Nous suggĂ©rons une analyse sociologique fondĂ©e sur la notion de « culture Schengen de la sĂ©curité ». Il semble que la tendance sĂ©curitaire de la PEV soit le rĂ©sultat de la consolidation des hypothĂšses et des pratiques sous-jacentes de cette culture et de leur diffusion au sein de lâUE et dans lâattitude de celle-ci envers ses voisins.The aim of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is to create a âsecurity communityâ in which the EU and its neighbours can enjoy âclose, peaceful and co-operative relationsâ. I argue that, despite its stated objectives, the role that security plays in the ENP is more controversial than its proponents would suggest. Rather than corollary to the incentives that the EU offers to the neighbours, the security provisions in the ENP actually encroach on the promise of greater access to the EUâs Common Market. In turn, the ENP seems to reflect a EU-centric vision of regional security, challenging the claim that it represents a real partnership between the EU and its neighbours. In order to explain why the ENP has acquired these features, I propose a sociological account based on the notion of âSchengen culture of securityâ. From this perspective, the ENP was securitised as a result of the recent consolidation within the EU of this cultureâs underlying assumptions and practices and their âspreadâ to the Unionâs policy towards its neighbours