The European Unions role in making migration work for development: mobility partnerships as a means for fostering the development impact of migration or a Trojan horse to achieve member states' interest?

Abstract

This research analyses the role of the European Union (EU) in making migration work for development. After an attempt to define the migration-development nexus and assess whether migration might have a positive impact on the development of migrant-sending countries, the thesis aims at analysing the EU’s quest for a more comprehensive approach, by focusing on three issues. First, it is analysed how and to what extent the migration-development nexus has been addressed in the EU’s policy framework. Particular emphasis is put on the external dimension of the EU’s migration policy and on the question whether development objectives are sufficiently included in the external migration policy. Subsequently, Mobility Partnerships as tools of the external dimension are examined on their potential of being a means of fostering the development impact of migration. In all the three domains it is investigated how and to what extent policy options, which are determined on the basis of the debate on ‘migration and development’, are addressed and integrated. By drawing some attention to the role of the EU in making migration work for development, particularly through Mobility Partnerships, this research hopes to contribute in practical terms to moving the debate on ‘migration and development’ forward.