Deciding on EU External Migration Policy: The Member States and the Mobility Partnerships

Abstract

Although EU migration policy has become increasingly supranationalised, the member states still find ways to limit the involvement of the supranational institutions. Legal migration in particular is still seen by member states as their ‘domain reservée’. However, member states will still sometimes choose cooperation at the EU level. How can this choice be explained? The article argues that member states cooperate at the EU level where this can help them to achieve their nationally formulated preferences. In the decision-making process on the Mobility Partnerships, member states demonstrated their determination to remain in control, resulting in a limited role for the Commission and no role at all for the Parliament and Court of Justice. Some member states identified a fit between the Mobility Partnerships and their national migration policies, and therefore chose to participate. Other member states were very opposed to the Mobility Partnerships, because they contradict national migration policy.

Key Words:

• EU migration policy
• EU decision-making
• Mobility Partnerships
• member states

Acknowledgement

This article is based on 20 interviews conducted between September 2009 and July 2010. I am grateful to those interviewed for their time.

Notes

1. On the role of international organisations in the creation of the Mobility Partnerships, see Parkes (2009, 334)

2. Negotiations with Senegal are currently stalled, and are not expected to be continued.