(Un)Freedom of Movement: Migration Issues in Europe. Part I.

Freedom of movement is one of the fundamental principles upon which the European Union (Community) was once founded. The recent and unprecedented EU enlargement was, however, accompanied by a chain reaction of restrictions introduced by the EU15 to curb prospective migration from the new member states.

These restrictions would appear to fit into a general tendency across the EU to limit immigration. Workers, particularly from third countries, often feel just as unwelcome as refugees, whose rights have been continuously reduced in many EU member states.

Restrictions take place despite a widespread recognition that Europe needs to import foreign labour in the face of gloomy demographic forecasts, in the face of ageing populations and low birth-rates, and prospects of a collapsing social security system. Europe appears caught up in its own dilemma: Europe needs migrants, Europe fears migration.

EUMAP.ORG is pleased to announce its featured online publication: a diverse compilation of articles and opinion pieces on the most topical and important migration issues in Europe. Due to an extraordinarily large number of quality submissions, the new EUMAP compilation on migration issues in Europe consists of two parts.

Image © Dave Simmons.

Part I (Migration's Trends and Challenges) offers a comparative perspective on migration patterns and dynamics in selected EU member states, both new and old (Czech Republic, Germany, Italy), and taps into the rigours of interaction between migrants vis-á-vis host societies, and migrants vis-á-vis traditional minority groups.

East-West Migration in the Context of an Enlarging European Union: New Opportunities and New Challenges
Mariyana Radeva
"In the run-up to enlargement an important point of disagreement between the East and the West is the predicted change in patterns of East-West migration within Europe. The economic and social implications of the proposed free movement of labour will remain a controversial issue until the assimilation of new member states into the EU structures is complete, affecting both governments and citizens. Both those in favour and those opposed to the free movement of people after enlargement must adequately take into account the benefits of larger markets, possibilities for outsourcing, and cheaper labour."

Is Ignorance Really Bliss? Germany’s Labour Migration Policy
Anna Turmann
"Using the example of Germany, this article attempts to show how a denial of being a destination for third-country nationals and the poor regulation of current immigration policies make it difficult to assess migration levels and flows. This lack of assessment may in turn be partly responsible for the hesitation that seems to surround the badly needed reforms, causing further delays."

Migrating or Commuting? The Case of Romanian Workers in Italy: Niches for Labour Commuting to the EU
Florentina Constantin
"Focusing on the case of Romanian workers in Italy, I intend to challenge the traditional approach towards migration in the European Union. I will argue that, when analysing the situation of Romanian workers, the term "migration" becomes more and more inadequate in addressing the problem of migrant workers in the EU. Instead, I will make use of the more specific term "commuting", which international organisations and academic literature have previously used to describe short-term labour migration."

Historical Minorities and Migrants: Foes or Allies?
Roberta Medda-Windischer
"The main research question that this article seeks to analyse is whether, in contexts where immigrants settle in the territories traditionally inhabited by historical minorities, it is possible to reconcile the claims of historical minorities and of new groups originating from immigration, and whether policies that accommodate traditional minorities and migrants as allies in the pursuit of a pluralist and tolerant society are realistically conceivable."