EU policy on irregular migration: the impact of the refugee crisis 2014-2015

The paper reviews the current EU policy on irregular migration under the influence of refugee crisis. This crisis urged the EU to streamline and consolidate all the available legal, political and administrative tools to reach the synergy effect in the management of immigration flows into the EU. However the main weakness of the EU approach appears to be the dependence on the opportunities and interests of the third countries (of origin and transit of irregular migrants) to cooperate effectively with the EU institutions and Member-states in such key spheres as fight against migrant smuggling, security of external borders, implementation of readmission agreements, asylum policy. The author evaluates the state of progress on the main Mediterranean migration routes since the beginning of the migration crisis in 2014, analyses some recent EU initiatives, particularly the EU NAVFOR MED Operation Sophia and the new Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration. In conclusion, the author attempts to assess the effects of these actions.

irregular migration, refugee crisis, migrant smuggling, FRONTEX, EU NAVFOR MED Operation Sophia, Partnership Framework with third countries, Common Security and Defense Policy, the Mediterranean, Turkey, the EU, Africa, Syria, Libya, Italy

1. Bolshova N. The EU Response to the Refugee crisis of 2015 and the Prospects for a Common EU Migration Policy. IIS International Analytics (Ezhegodnik). MGIMO-University, 2016, No. 1 (15), pp. 19–33 (in Russ.); Bol’shova N. N. Otvet ES na krizis s bezhencami 2015 goda i perspektivy obshhej migracionnoj politiki ES // Ezhegodnik IMI. – 2016. – № 1 (15). – S. 19–33.

2. Butorina O. V., Kaveshnikov N. Yu., eds. European Integration: Textbook for High Schools. 2nd edition. Moscow: Published by “Aspekt-Press”, 2016 (in Russ.); Yevropeyskaya integratsiya: Uchebnik dlya vuzov / Pod red. O. V. Butorinoy (otv. red.), N. Yu. Kaveshnikova. – 2-ye izd., isprav. i dop. – M.: Aspekt-Press, 2016.

3. “Islamic state”: phenomenon, evolution and prospects / IIS Analytical reports, MGIMO-University, 2016, No. 1 (45) (in Russ.)]; Vavilov A. I., Zinin Yu. N., Kazantsev A. A., Krylov A. V., Orlov A. A., Fedorchenko A. V., Chechevishnikov A. L., Yarlykapov A. A., “Islamskoe gosudarstvo”: fenomen, jevoljucija, perspektivy.

4. Kurakin M., Better without Kaddafi. Slave trade and killing everyone in a row in Libya. The world seems to be indifferent (in Russ.). – URL: http://lenta.ru/articles/2017/11/27/libya_downfall/; Kurakin M. Bez Kaddafi horosho. V Livii torgujut rabami I ubivajut vseh podrjad. No miru, kazhetsja, vse ravno. Available at: http://lenta.ru/articles/2017/11/27/libya_downfall/.

5. Potemkina O.Yu. “European Migration Agenda” – a new turn in the EU Migration Policy. Contemporary Europe, 2015, No. 4, pp. 28–40 (in Russ.); Potemkina O. Ju. «Evropejskaja povestka dnja po migracii» - novyi povorot v immigracionnoj politike ES? // Sovremennaja Evropa. – 2015. – № 4. – S. 28–40.

6. Sadykova L. R. The New Line of the European Union in Migration Domain: Emphases and Mechanisms. Ezhegodnik IIS. MGIMO-University, 2016, No. 1 (15), pp. 13–19 (in Russ.); Sadykova L. R. Novaja linija Evropejskogo sojuza v oblasti migracii. Akcenti, mehanizmy // Ezhegodnik IMI. – 2016. – № 1. – S. 13–19.

7. EU Action Plan against migrant smuggling. 4th Report of Session 2015–16. House of Lords Paper 46, 3 November 2015, London, p. 3. – URL: http://www.parliament.uk/hleu

8. EU naval operation against human smugglers facing challenges before moving into Libyan waters. European Council of Refugees and Exiles. 19th February 2016. – URL: http://www.ecre.org/eu-naval-operation-against-humansmugglers-facing-challenges-before-moving-into-libyan-waters/

9. Operation Sophia, the EU’s naval mission in the Mediterranean: an impossible challenge. 14th Report of Session 2015–2016. House of Lords Paper 144, 13 May 2016, p. 10. – URL: www.parliament.uk/operation-sophia