2026 · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · book-chapter
A three-layered system of fundamental rights ↗Legal Rights and Human Rights
2026 · Routledge eBooks · book-chapter
EU Visa Policy ↗Gender and Women's Rights
Abstract
Schengen visas for short-term stays are the most important gateway into the European Union; more than 8,000,000 such visas were delivered in 2023. At the same time, many potential migrants do not qualify for legal entry; their visa applications are rejected or they do not apply for a visa for lack of prospects of success. Anyone trying to decode the European Union's visa policy as a means of selective entry control will have to understand the legal framework, policy debates, and theoretical queries. First, our survey of the history of the ‘Schengen area’ demonstrates that the harmonisation of visa requirements was a conscious choice of external closure that contrasts with the widespread celebration of ‘Schengen’ for the abolition of inter-state bordercontrol9s. On this basis, this contribution identifies, second, the institutional forums and legal mechanisms of the invisible legal fortification in the form of visa requirements. We shall see that legal safeguards exist but do not play a major role in practice. Third, EU institutions are using visa policy as a leverage to increase cooperation with countries of origin and transit in the domains of return and migration management. The novel ‘visa leverage’ receives much attention, whereas the exportation of visa requirements to neighbouring countries, such as Serbia and Türkiye, is often overlooked and difficult to trace.
2026 · JuristenZeitung
EGMR-Rechtsprechung zur Migration: Stillstand, Demontage oder Transformation? ↗European and International Law Studies
Abstract
In May 2026, the 46 members of the Council of Europe intend to adopt a political declaration calling on the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to give greater weight to state interests in its human rights case law. Although the Court in Strasbourg has refrained from further extending protection, the dynamic judgments of the quarter-century between the fall of the Iron Curtain and the asylum policy crisis of 2015/16 continue to apply; they are enforced by domestic courts on a daily basis. Against this backdrop, the contribution by Daniel Thym highlights the opportunities, risks and limitations of the planned Chișinău Declaration. He argues, amongst others, that the international legal equivalent of a constitutional amendment in the form of an additional protocol would be more effective and safeguard the institutional legitimacy of the Court.
2026 · Zeitschrift für öffentliches Recht
Drittstaatsmodelle im Asylrecht: magische Lösung oder Wunschvorstellung? ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Drittstaatsmodelle stehen im Zentrum vieler asylpolitischer Debatten in Brüssel und den Hauptstädten der Mitgliedstaaten. Allerdings ist deren Umsetzung an eine Reihe rechtlicher, administrativer, diplomatischer und praktischer Bedingungen geknüpft und setzt daher politischen Gestaltungswillen voraus. Dies gilt für extraterritoriale Asylverfahrenszentren nach dem Vorbild des italienischen „Albanien-Modells“ ebenso wie für Rückkehrzentren (return hubs) für Ausreisepflichtige, die in der EU erfolglos ihr Asylverfahren durchliefen, und klassische sichere Drittstaaten im Asylrecht ähnlich dem britischen „Ruanda-Plan“. Für Letztere diskutiert der Beitrag im Lichte des Völkerrechts und der EGMR-Rechtsprechung die zentralen Vorgaben des reformierten EU-Asylrechts, das im Februar 2026 nachgebessert wurde und seit Juni 2026 anzuwenden ist.
2025 · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · reference-entry
Schengen Area ↗Gender and Women's Rights
2025 · Wallstein Verlag eBooks · book-chapter
citizenship ↗Open accessFree PDF ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration 2025 · Campus Verlag eBooks · book
Zusammenhalt durch Recht? ↗Open accessEvolving Legal Systems and Governance
Abstract
Inwiefern kann das Recht sozialen Zusammenhalt stärken? Einerseits wird ihm traditionell eine Ordnungs- und damit zugleich eine Befriedungsfunktion zugeschrieben, ohne die eine komplexe Gesellschaft nicht existieren kann. Andererseits organisiert es diese Gesellschaft zunächst nur als ein Nebeneinander von Rechtspersonen, wodurch nicht notwendig ein Miteinander von Bürger:innen entsteht. Ausgehend von dieser Analyse gehen die Beiträge des Bandes der Frage nach, welche weiteren Leistungen das Recht für sozialen Zusammenhalt erbringen kann, welche Grenzen ihm dabei gesetzt sind und welche Folgeprobleme hieraus entstehen. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode
2025 · preprint
Migration und Asyl im Koalitionsvertrag ↗Free copyMigration, Refugees, and Integration
Abstract
Friedrich Merz bekam mehr als gewollt: Aus dem „Fünf-Punkte-Plan“ des Wahlkampfs wurden 17 Einzelvorhaben im Migrationskapitel des Koalitionsvertrags zwischen CDU, CSU und SPD. Doch liefert der künftige Kanzler damit auch die „grundsätzliche Wende“ und den „Stopp der illegalen Migration“, die sein Wahlprogramm vollmundig versprochen hatte? Kurzfristig hängt das davon ab, welches von zwei Szenarien eintritt, wenn künftig Asylbewerber an der Grenze zurückgewiesen werden.
2025 · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
“Public Policy” as a Chameleonlike Concept: The Quest for Coherence in the CJEU Case Law On Migration and Union Citizenship ↗Open accessEuropean Law and Migration
Abstract
Exceptions to the fundamental freedoms are cornerstones of the single market case law. Numerous Court judgments have elaborated upon their meaning over the past 50 years; they take centre stage in university courses across Europe. Much less discussed is a parallel development in the field of migration. More than a dozen cases have explored the meaning of the “public policy" and “public security” caveat in the supranational legislation on migration over the past decade. They exhibit instances of parallelism with free movement law as well as examples of deviation and distinction. Throughout these judgments, the Court gradually established a coherent approach. Judges insist on the uniform meaning of “public policy” and “public security” to start with, while recognising the potential for deviation and context-specific solutions in light of the wording, general scheme, objectives, and drafting history of the instrument under analysis. In the same way as the chameleon lizard adapts its colour to the environment, the interpretation of the public policy and security exception responds to the legal context. Closer inspection of the judicial practice on migration can serve as a case study on the relevant benchmarks for parallelism and divergence in the approach to public policy exceptions in other domains of Union law. In doing so, our analysis will highlight feedback loops with the restrictive twist of the case law on Union citizens. It will also introduce readers to the distinction between an abstract and individualised proportionality test which is rarely discussed by experts of EU law.
2025 · preprint
Kippt in Brüssel das individuelle Asylrecht? ↗Free copyEuropean Law and Migration
Abstract
Während ganz Deutschland leidenschaftlich den „Merz-Plan“ für Zurückwei-sungen an den deutschen Grenzen diskutiert, hat in Brüssel eine Grundsatz-debatte von viel größerer Tragweite begonnen. In einer spektakulären Wen-dung erachtet die EU-Kommission „Pushbacks“ unter Umständen neuerdings für rechtmäßig. Das ist heikel, weil Pushbacks an den Außengrenzen das in-dividuelle Asylrecht beseitigen.
2025 · KOPS (University of Konstanz) · report
Toolbox: Rechtliche Reaktionsmöglichkeiten von Staat und Verwaltung auf Rassismus ↗Free copyDiscrimination and Equality Law
2025 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Migration Policy ↗Free copyEuropean Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract EU migration policy has been strongly influenced by crises, notably with regard to the arrival of asylum applicants. While they did not bring about major changes to the Treaty framework, recent events have resulted in forms of informal governance and the adoption of new legislation. These responses have rested on an expansive interpretation of the existing Treaty framework, and featured informal and non-binding instruments. The reasons for this switch are manifold. In the field of migration, soft law measures can serve as an experimental attempt to prepare for the adoption of legally binding rules or, more controversially, as an attempt to mould interpretation in a certain direction, as an alternative to legislative change. Of great importance are the two migration agencies, Frontex and the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA), whose powers and resources have seen exponential growth in recent years; their operational characteristics distinguish the migration agencies from regulatory bodies in other policy fields.
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · paratext
Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis ↗2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
3. Wirtschaft: Rettung vor der «demografischen Klippe» ↗Social and Demographic Issues in Germany
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
1. Deutschland braucht ein neues Selbstverständnis ↗German Security and Defense Policies
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
6. Von der «Integration» zum «Zusammenhalt» ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
5. Moral und Eigeninteresse: Wie beides zusammenpasst ↗Ethics in Business and Education
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
7. Einwanderungsrepublik Deutschland ↗Open accessMigration, Refugees, and Integration
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
4. Asyl: Wir sind (nicht) die Guten ↗Migration and Exile Studies
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
2. «Einwanderungsland» ist kein Schönwetterbegriff ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration
2025 · Hart Publishing eBooks · book-chapter
Baumbast and the Rise of EU Citizenship ↗European Law and Migration
2025 · RENATE · report
Forschungsinstitut Gesellschaftlicher Zusammenhalt (FGZ) - Standort Konstanz - 1. Förderphase ↗Free copyResearch, Science, and Academia
2025 · KOPS (University of Konstanz) · book-chapter
Integration durch Recht? : Erfolge und Grenzen der rechtlichen Gemeinschaftsbildung in der Europäischen Union ↗European and International Law Studies
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book
Migration steuern ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration
2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
Vita ↗2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
Anmerkungen ↗2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
Register ↗2025 · C.H.Beck eBooks · book-chapter
Zum Buch ↗2024 · preprint
Abschiebungen nach Syrien? ↗Free copyFree PDF ↗Middle East Politics and Society Abstract
Vor neun Jahren wandte sich Angela Merkel zum Höhepunkt der damaligen Krise an Syrer: „Wir erwarten, dass, wenn wieder Frieden in Syrien ist, ... ihr ... in eure Heimat zurückgeht“. Diese Zukunftsvision könnte nunmehr Wirklichkeit werden, auch wenn niemand seriös prognostizieren kann, wie sich die Lage in Syrien entwickeln wird. Identifizieren lassen sich jedoch die rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen, von denen es so viele gibt, dass schnelle und zwangsweise Rückführungen nach Syrien im großen Stil sich als Illusion erweisen dürften. Ein Bewusstsein für die rechtlichen Hürden hilft dabei, realistische Handlungsoptionen auszuloten.
2024 · preprint
Nun also doch? Zurückweisungen von Asylbewerbern aufgrund einer „Notlage“ ↗Abstract
Die Dublin-Regeln verlieren nicht deshalb ihre rechtliche Bindungswirkung, weil sie praktisch schlecht funktionieren. Im Europarecht gilt nicht das völkerrechtliche Prinzip eines „Auge um Auge, Zahn um Zahn“, wonach ein Land eine Verpflichtung missachten darf, weil andere Länder dasselbe machen. Zahlreiche Urteile des EuGH bekräftigen seit Jahren, dass die Dublin-Regeln trotz aller Defizite verbindlich sind. Die Politik muss Gesetze ändern, die ihr nicht gefallen.
2024 · preprint
Zur Debatte über Abschiebungen nach Afghanistan und Syrien ↗Free copyFree PDF ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration Abstract
Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz hat sich dafür ausgesprochen, Schwerstkriminelle und Gefährder auch nach Afghanistan und Syrien abzuschieben. Die öffentliche Debatte unterstellt dabei bisweilen, dass der Kanzler, die Innenministerin oder das Außenministerium eigenständig darüber entscheiden könnten, ob ein Land als generell sicher oder unsicher gilt. Je nach Ergebnis erhalten dann entweder alle Schutz oder Abschiebungen sind plötzlich möglich. Das stimmt nicht, denn das Asylrecht fragt nach Situation jeder Einzelperson. Statt eines „Alles oder nichts“ gilt also „Es kommt darauf an“. Das klingt unentschieden, ist es jedoch nicht.
2024 · Nordisk socialrättslig tidskrift
European Citizenship beyond Free Movement: Socioeconomic Deservingness as a Test Case ↗European Law and Migration
2024 · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
European Migration Law Between 'Rescuing' and 'Taming' the Nation State: A History of Half-hearted Commitment to Human Rights and Refugee Protection ↗Free copyEuropean Law and Migration
Abstract
EU primary law reaffirms that States have the right to control the entry and stay of non-nationals, but it also entrusts the legislature with deciding, within the confines of human rights, how open or closed the external borders shall be. The ensuing tension between protection and state control is deeply engrained in the history and presence of European migration law. Supranational legislation often establishes a higher level of protection than human rights in the form of individual rights to legal entry or stay; these statutory guarantees considerably curtail the room for manoeuvre of the Member States, albeit on the basis of their “voluntary” consent. At the same time, EU migration law and policy can increase the practical leverage of States by means of inter-state cooperation. These contrasting dynamics coalesce in the contemporary debate about asylum policy. Protective elements exist, but several Member States violate their obligations, notably in the external border control context (“pushbacks”). While such instances of open resistance are unprecedented, they build on a history of half-hearted commitment ever since the signature of the Refugee Convention. EU migration law comprises reasonably generous domestic legislation and contributes to reducing the numbers of arrival at the same time, in particular via cooperation with third states such as Tunisia, Turkey, or Morocco, thus reiterating the simultaneity of “rescuing” and “taming” the nation-state.
2024 · Mohr Siebeck eBooks · book
Deutschland als Einwanderungsland ↗Open accessMigration, Refugees, and Integration
Abstract
As a country of immigration, Germany needs a debate about the future rules governing entry into the territory and the equal membership of those residing legally. 15 leading legal experts from across Germany chart this terrain by discussing critical regulatory options which combine an awareness of the legal details with theoretical and interdisciplinary insights.
2024 · SSRN Electronic Journal · preprint
Expert Opinion on Legal Requirements for Safe Third Countries in Asylum Law and Practical Implementation Options ↗Free copyEuropean Law and Migration
2024 · SSRN Electronic Journal · preprint
Gutachten über Anforderungen an sichere Drittstaaten im Asylrecht und praktische Umsetzungsmöglichkeiten (Expert Opinion on Legal Requirements for Safe Third Countries in Asylum Law and Practical Implementation Options) ↗Free copyGender and Women's Rights
2024 · Yearbook of European Law
Beyond ‘ever closer union’: retrospective on 30 years of union citizenship and what they tell us about the future ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract Binary descriptions have traditionally taken centre stage in many analyses of Union citizenship, signalling the assumption of an inbuilt dynamism towards a pre-determined objective. This contribution moves beyond the vision of constant betterment for Union citizenship and the European Union at large. For that purpose, it reconstructs the institutional practice, with its seemingly erratic combination of ‘progress’ and ‘standstill’, as normative fault lines. In geology, a fault line is a section of the earth’s surface where rock has been visibly displaced as a result of plate tectonic forces, which, in the domain of Union citizenship, correspond to several constitutional tensions pushing and pulling the case law in diverse directions. For many years, these tensions did not exercise a decisive influence; anyone could project their understanding onto the skeleton of abstract Treaty articles. This is no longer possible at a time when Union citizenship touches upon salient topics which define the democratic context. It is these constitutional tensions, such as disagreement over the degree of centralization, the value of (im)mobility, or the reconfiguration of membership, which sustain our hypothesis that Union citizenship is defined by postmodern ambiguity rather than the modernist ideal of irrefutable progress. An awareness of this change allows readers to chart their way through the institutional practice by defining the legal and normative parameters for future developments.
2024 · Social Science Open Access Repository (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences) · report
Staatsangehörigkeit und "Doppelpass": legitime Symbolik und theoretische Fallstricke ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration
Abstract
Mit der Staatsangehörigkeit wird man in rechtlicher Hinsicht vollwertiges Mitglied eines Landes. Das ist aus zwei Gründen wichtig. Zum einen sind es die praktischen Konsequenzen, auch wenn die Einbürgerung im Vergleich zum Daueraufenthaltsrecht nur wenige rechtliche Vorteile bietet. Zum anderen diskutieren Politik und Gesellschaft bei jeder Reform des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechts seit Jahrzehnten darüber, was "Deutsch" heutzutage heißt - und innerhalb welcher rahmenden Großerzählung Fragen des gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalts kollektiv zu verhandeln sind. Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechts zeigt eine Wendung, die bisher kaum beachtet wird. Kritik und Unterstützung des "Doppelpasses" machen es sich zu einfach: Wer diesen speziell bei der dritten oder vierten Generation als Ausdruck einer "Heimatidentität" feiert, muss eine solche auch für die Bundesrepublik anerkennen. Die Pointe der jüngsten Reform könnte daher darin liegen, eine Diskussion über das kollektive Selbstbild anzustoßen. Was heißt es für die Zukunft, wenn das Grundgesetz bis heute vom "deutschen Volk" spricht und die Reform nun dafür sorgt, dass ganz offiziell mehr Eingewanderte dazu gehören? Diese symbolische Ebene ist der eigentliche Neuigkeitswert einer Reform, die im rechtlichen Detail pfadabhängig fortsetzt, was in den Jahrzehnten zuvor gesellschaftlich bereits seinen Lauf genommen hat. Dies gilt selbst für die doppelte Staatsangehörigkeit, die bei Kindern schon heute unkontrolliert vererbt wird, sodass die künftige Akzeptanz auch bei der Einbürgerung der Eltern keinen Systemwechsel mehr darstellt.
2024 · KOPS (University of Konstanz) · book-chapter
Deutschlands langer Weg zum Einwanderungsland : Einführung und Kontextualisierung ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration
2023 · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
„Pushbacks“ an den deutschen Grenzen: ja, nein, vielleicht? ↗Free copyGender and Women's Rights
Abstract
Mittels Grenzkontrollen signalisiert die Politik auch dann ihre Handlungsfähigkeit, wenn diese praktisch wenig ändern. Die Forschung spricht von „Kontrollsignalen“, die die verunsicherte Bevölkerung beruhigen. Diese Signalwirkung nutzt nun auch Innenministerin Faeser, wenn sie anordnet, was die Opposition schon lange gefordert hatte: „flexible“ Kontrollen an den deutschen Grenzen zu Polen und Tschechien. Scheinbar ändert sich damit viel. Schließlich wurden nach Österreich im ersten Halbjahr knapp 4.500 Personen zurückgewiesen, im Jahr zuvor sogar mehr als 14 Tausend. Realisiert damit die Ampelkoalition, worüber Merkel und Seehofer im Jahr 2018 leidenschaftlich stritten? Und warum gilt das EuGH-Urteil vom 21. September für Deutschland nicht, das manche als Zurückweisungsverbot interpretieren?
2023 · Common Market Law Review
Upholding the right to asylum in times of its “instrumentalization” by neighbouring States: Valstybe?s sienos apsaugos tarnyba ↗European Law and Migration
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Association Agreements with Neighbours ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract Speaking of ‘European migration law’ does not exhibit quasi-imperial claims towards European countries which prefer not to join the EU or wait to be admitted. Association agreements and international treaties establish concentric circles with different degrees of participation. While Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland subscribe to the free movement of persons and are associated with the Dublin and Schengen rulebook, subject to few caveats, the UK stays outside. There is currently no enhanced cooperation with the UK on free movement or migration control, besides the protection of acquired rights under the Withdrawal Agreement and transnational social security coordination with respect to persons being admitted on the territory in the years to come. The status of Turkish nationals residing in the Member States on the basis of the Ankara Agreement of 1963 and follow-up decisions has given rise to many Court judgments which increased the level of protection significantly. Judges established a de facto permanent residence for former ‘guest workers’ and their families, which equally embraces Turkish nationals entering nowadays. By contrast, association agreements with other neighbours to the South and East contain few provisions on legal migration nowadays. The management paradigm of justice and home affairs has replaced the single market model as the focus of attention.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Integration and Settlement ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract First admission sets in motion a process of status change, which culminates in the acquisition of long-term resident status or nationality. Many third country nationals benefit from residence security and equal treatment, thus turning them into members of the societies they live in. A comprehensive analysis of integration policies must go beyond the explicit and implicit integration conditions enshrined in the migration law instruments. Other state policies and contextual factors are equally important, in light of a holistic understanding of migrant integration encompassing different forms of structural inclusion, social integration, and cultural affiliation. Think of the welfare state or schooling. In this overall context, the contribution of migration law is limited. Mandatory integration conditions have received much attention, especially language skills as a precondition for family reunification. Judges accepted their legality, subject to a hardship clause. Furthermore, many migration law instruments provide for equal treatment. Chapter 15 demonstrates the legal characteristics and the practical implications of these provisions, with a special emphasis on the welfare state. The very idea of equal treatment with nationals of the receiving society and the limited inroads of EU law on the acquisition of nationality reaffirm our general conclusion that European migration law cannot be adequately understood without considering the national level.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Agencies (Frontex and Asylum Agency) ↗Gender and Women's Rights
Abstract
Abstract Frontex and the Asylum Agency have received stronger mandates and have started hiring abundant new staff on the basis of a substantial increase in funding. While the Asylum Agency concentrates on information gathering and the quality and coherence of asylum procedures and reception conditions, Frontex increasingly assumes operational functions. Supranational staff and seconded national personnel assist Member States under pressure. In addition, cooperation with third states appears to become a focal point of future activities. ‘Pushback’ allegations and controversies about agency involvement in ‘hotspots’ underline that enhanced powers must go hand in hand with stronger accountability, both with regard to internal governance and external oversight. Challenging the behaviour of the agencies before the Court in Luxembourg is complicated by the rules on standing, case law on composite procedures, and the primary responsibility of host states of Frontex and EUAA missions under the mandate.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Administrative Dimension ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract The national level is as important as the output of the supranational institutions in terms of defining the conditions for the effective and uniform application of EU legislation. European migration law is a multi-level system by definition, with national practices varying to a considerable extent. The vision of an ‘area’ of freedom, security, and justice and a common asylum ‘system’ should not be misunderstood as shorthand for quasi-federal uniformity. Particularly important are differences in the organisation of the administrative and court procedure. Chapter 7 presents case law of the Court of Justice on unwritten general principles and fundamental rights in the Charter that limit the procedural autonomy of the Member States. Our horizontal assessment of judgments on different segments of migration law illustrates how rulings on asylum can be used in the context of return or legal migration, and vice versa.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
General Features of EU Legislation ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract The sheer complexity of European migration law entails that it is a matter of self-interest to identify general features which can be studied jointly. Doing so saves scarce resources and allows for the identification of replicable patterns. Chapter 10 highlights that the Court of Justice explores horizontal cross-fertilisation between the legislation on migration, as well as with earlier judgments on the free movement of Union citizens. The public policy exception, fee levels, and the sufficient resources threshold are prime examples of the judicial search for coherence: judgments emphasising similarities interact with rulings accentuating differences, reflecting the specific contents and context of the different pieces of legislation. Of great practical significance are the principle of proportionality and the human right to equality before the law. Our analysis adopts a bird’s eye view on the multi-faceted CJEU and ECtHR case law, stressing persisting uncertainties. Judgments on Article 72 TFEU and the principle of abuse demonstrate why states struggle to justify non-compliance with EU legislation in regular circumstances.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Common European Asylum System ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract EU asylum legislation is the object of protracted policy debates and defines the work of many practitioners. Reiterating the idea behind a reference book, we describe the political and theoretical framework, introduce newcomers to core features of the supranational legislation, and provide a reliable inventory of more than 100 Court judgments. Structural deficits of the Common European Asylum System are discussed together with reform proposals and emerging themes, such as climate change. The evolution of European asylum law over the past decades can be described as a history of half-hearted commitment. Our thematic comments on the contents of the legislation, the case law, and the views of different actors follow the structure of the supranational rulebook on asylum. Each section discusses one instrument: asylum jurisdiction; asylum procedures; criteria for refugee status and subsidiary protection; temporary protection; reception conditions; the legal status of beneficiaries of international protection; resettlement and other legal pathways. Chapter 13 presents both the small print, which informs the legal practice, and the broader legal and conceptual repercussions of the different pieces of legislation.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Human Rights and State Sovereignty ↗Gender and Women's Rights
Abstract
Abstract Despite being a cross-border phenomenon by definition, migratory movements are not governed by public international law to a significant extent. The Refugee Convention and human rights are the exception to the rule. Chapter 5 concentrates on the tension between state sovereignty and human rights in the evolution of European migration law, which builds upon earlier forms of state control over the entry and stay of foreigners that emerged during the long nineteenth century as a by-product of the formation of sovereign statehood. Human rights serve as a counterpoint to state sovereignty in contemporary Europe, with elements of dynamism coinciding with scenarios of standstill in the human rights case law. Our remarks focus on the contribution of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the Refugee Convention, and international treaty bodies or diplomatic fora, including the Global Compacts adopted in 2018. These general explanations on the international dimension of migration law prepare the ground for sector-specific comments on human rights, refugee law, and international treaties in the substantive chapters.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · other
Table of EU Legislation ↗2023 · book
European Migration Law ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract This book has been written to help readers navigate the often Byzantine European rulebook on migration at a time when it has become increasingly difficult to keep an oversight. More than three dozen directives and regulations are discussed throughout this volume, together with numerous court judgments, international treaties, reform proposals, and factual developments. Our objective is to provide readers with a mental map which empowers them to find solutions to pressing political, practical, and legal challenges. Eighteen chapters present core features of visas and border controls, asylum and legal migration, integration and return, association agreements, and international cooperation. This comprehensive assessment of ‘European migration law’ introduces beginners to the state of the art and serves as a reliable inventory for experts. Several audiences will consult this reference work: policy experts, legal practitioners, and academic researchers. Careful inspection of EU legislation and Court judgments shall be accompanied by due attention to domestic and international developments, as well as contextual factors influencing the real world of migratory movements. Whereas newcomers will use this book as a gateway into a fascinating area of study, experts will benefit from extra information. Policy experts and critical observers will appreciate the interdisciplinary comments on the driving forces of migration and the theoretical models that lie beneath the legal material.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Methodology ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration
Abstract
Abstract Knowledge of the multiple economic, social, political, and cultural drivers of migration is essential for the design of reasonably well-functioning policies, especially in the areas of asylum and return. The rich literature sheds light on the underlying dynamics. Comments are not limited to the drivers of migration. Whereas legal experts concentrate on the interpretation of the law, other disciplines explore the making and the effects of migration policies. Sceptical public opinions support restrictions in times of increasing politicisation, and critical studies emphasise that perceptions of threat and normative preferences can be influenced by the use of language. Sociolegal research in the ethnographic tradition shows the impact of migrant agency and street-level bureaucracy. Policy experts can use these interdisciplinary insights to improve the policy output, whereas legal scholars can develop sophisticated research designs; doing so combines doctrinal hermeneutics with a critical awareness of the law as an instrument of government.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Institutional Prerogatives and Decision-making ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract Institutional provisions have a direct impact on the policy outcome by determining the weight of the relevant actors. Chapter 2 introduces readers to the prerogatives of the supranational institutions and their track record on migration. The informal trilogue format and the rise of soft law in the internal and external dimension demonstrate that everyday practices can be as relevant as legal rules in the Treaties. While the European Parliament often serves as a counterbalance to the preferences of national interior ministries, assembled in the Council, the Commission habitually responds to changing political priorities with technocratic pragmatism. Legislation on migration is full of compromise packages, and the salience of migratory matters in the public discourse complicates the ongoing search for a common ground. EU migration law is the product of state interests as much as it reflects normative preferences. A peculiarity of European migration law are the country-specific opt-outs of Denmark and Ireland (as well as the UK, before Brexit). They stem from political compromises enshrined at Treaty level and do not establish a general blueprint for the realisation of migration law by means of ‘multiple speeds’ or ‘coalitions of the willing’.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Irregular Presence and Return ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract Return is an integral component of migration law and policy which receives much political attention as a result of compliance and enforcement deficits. EU Treaties call for ‘enhanced measures to combat illegal immigration’, and the institutions have taken that invitation seriously. A patchwork of domestic and supranational measures deals with irregular entry, stay, and return, whose interaction can be difficult to understand. Chapter 16 presents these measures, starting with a critical reflection on the use of the language and an inspection of contextual factors influencing the policy outcome. With regard to the criminalisation of irregular entry and stay, the impact of EU legislation and case law is multifaceted: instruments instructing Member States to adopt sanctions coexists with case law limiting the use of custodial sentences and legislation on victims of human trafficking. The Return Directive serves as the backbone of the supranational legal framework, establishing common standards for the return procedure, voluntary departure, and forced removal. Its provisions apply whenever third country nationals are illegally staying. EU legislation does not generally harmonise the conditions for unlawful stay and regularisation, which remain the domain of national laws and practices. Supranational legislation governs the administrative detention of returnees and asylum seekers, thus complementing human rights law. A great number of Court judgments have explained the conditions for detention.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Court of Justice: Achievements and Limitations ↗European and International Law Studies
Abstract
Abstract Judgments of the Court in Luxembourg are a central object of analysis for anyone dealing with European migration law. Chapter 3 points out that they do not come out of thin air. Inspection of procedural rules unveils the black box of judicial decision-making; rules of procedure prioritise the views of some actors over the position of others. Deference to the position of the legislature is one explanation why the judicial output fluctuates between dynamic constitutional rulings and an administrative mindset of doctrinal hermeneutics. A statistical survey of the case law unearths significant thematic asymmetries. Judgments on migration law reaffirm the centrality of preliminary references, notwithstanding divergences in the number of references between the Member States and according to subject matter. In areas where judges deliver few rulings, alternative accountability mechanisms are particularly important. Ombudspersons, financial and managerial control, and public attention can play a critical role in such situations.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
International Cooperation with Third States ↗Gender and Women's Rights
Abstract
Abstract EU institutions and national governments have spent considerable political capital on international cooperation. The evolution of the external dimension can be described as a history of trial and error, with national practices complementing the activities of the EU institutions to date. While legal pathways and development feature prominently in policy documents, the output remains meagre. Mobility partnership have not delivered, and it remains to be seen whether talent partnership will prove more successful. Instead, the externalisation of migration control has become the hallmark of external action; Member States and EU institutions cooperate with third states to limit the number of irregular arrivals. Particularly controversial are the idea behind the EU–Turkey Statement and ongoing cooperation of the EU, Italy, and Spain with Libya and Morocco, in addition to numerous bilateral cooperation frameworks with other neighbours and countries further afield which receive less attention. Capacity building and operational cooperation serve as sweeteners to convince third states to cooperate, combined with the, not so subtle, threat of sanctions in the domain of visas and beyond. Frontex positions itself to become an important player, besides national initiatives. EU legislation and Court judgments play a limited role, but this does not undo the practical and political significance of the external dimension for a holistic understanding of European migration law.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Doctrinal Foundations of the Case Law ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract An intimate knowledge of the structure of legal argument at the supranational level is essential for anyone trying to understand, or influence, the outcome of the interpretative exercise. Inspection of the case law of the Court of Justice unearths the predominance of seemingly technical arguments of doctrinal hermeneutics in the continental tradition, focusing on the wording, the general scheme, objectives, and the drafting history. To do so is easier said than done. While many judgments explore overarching features and cross-linkages between the different pieces of legislation on migration, other rulings exhibit an almost bewildering lack of coherence, for instance with respect to teleological interpretation in light of objectives. Individual rights of migrants often have similar effects as human rights, under the conditions laid down in secondary legislation. Their doctrinal contours underlie many Court rulings and can be used by lawyers to advance the rights of migrants. Practitioners will appreciate that familiarity with doctrinal arguments increases legal certainty, supports interpretative coherence, and forms the basis for forward-looking proposals.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Building an Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract European migration law has evolved dynamically ever since the 1990s. The abolition of border controls in the Schengen area was considered to require flanking measures on visas and databases, amongst others. At the same time, Member States promoted intergovernmental cooperation in response to an increase in the number of asylum applications. National governments defined core features of the European rulebook on ‘third country nationals’, whose contents differs markedly from the freedom-enhancing rationale of the single market and ‘Union citizenship’. Successive Treaty amendments buttressed the relative autonomy of migration law under the umbrella of the area of freedom, security, and justice. EU institutions decide on the degree of openness or closure within the confines of human rights, thus presenting the contemporary variant on how European states have dealt with migration ever since the nineteenth century. Inspection of the pre-history of European migration law exposes a fascinating combination of continuity and transformative disruption, which continues to define policy developments to date.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Databases ↗Data protectionGender and Women's Rights
Abstract
Abstract Recent years have witnessed a constant trend towards ‘function creep’ at the EU level, with the creation of new databases, the collection of ever more information, and the extension of access rights. The new legislative and technical infrastructure for the SIS, Eurodac, the Visa Information System, ETIAS, and the Entry/Exit System were being put into effect at the time of writing. Doing so will mark a turning point for one of the most vibrant areas of European migration law. The prospect of interoperability and the advent of automated processing will increase the practical, political, and conceptual significance of the databases. To understand these highly complex provisions is not easy and may be one of the reasons why databases receive little attention. That should change. Data protection laws are the most important legal control standard, to be assessed by courts and other mechanism of preventive or reactive supervision.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · other
Table of Cases ↗Abstract
1/03 [Opinion] Lugano Convention EU:C:2006:81 574n.251/13 [Opinion] Accession of Third States to the Hague Convention EU:C:2014:2303 578n.441/15 [Opinion]
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Introduction ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract Migration law is politically contested, practically relevant, and full of legal conundrums. This book has been written to help readers navigate the often Byzantine European rulebook at a time where it has become increasingly difficult to keep an oversight. In doing so, it embraces a wide notion of ‘migration law’ encompassing the traditional dichotomy between ‘asylum’ and ‘immigration’, which, on the European continent at least, increasingly gives way to overarching references to migration. The eighteen chapters of this book concentrate on the legal status of third country nationals entering or staying in the Member States of the European Union (EU). They deal with EU legislation on diverse subject matters such as visas, border controls, asylum, legal migration, integration and settlement, irregular presence and return, as well as international cooperation. Our choice of title signals this broader outlook, which transcends the ‘nitty gritty’ of EU legislation and CJEU judgments. They will be the starting point of our analysis, which, at the same time, will consider international developments, policy debates, and national laws.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · paratext
Copyright Page ↗Abstract
Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries © Daniel Thym 2023 The moral rights of the author have been asserted First Edition published in 2023 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this work in any other form
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Visa Policy ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract Visa policy and carrier sanctions are essential elements of European migration law which sustain the profound stratification of contemporary entry policies: easy access for privileged travellers coexists with hurdles and restrictions for the ‘unwanted’. Visa requirements classify states on the basis of an abstract risk profile in order to determine the nationals of which countries have to apply for a visa from abroad. The Visa List Regulation is binding on all Member States and many neighbours follow its contents as well; visa facilitation agreements serve as a bargaining chip to convince third states to cooperate. Procedural safeguards in the Visa Code Regulation apply to full members of the Schengen area only; they embody a high level of harmonisation in relation to documentation, admission criteria, and the administrative procedure, even though the level of protection is lower than in other areas of migration law. Critical observers highlight the significance of carrier sanctions as a measure of privatised migration control, which is subject to limited legal oversight and hinders access to Union territory by persons coming from the Global South.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Border Controls ↗Gender and Women's Rights
Abstract
Abstract Controversies about ‘pushback’ allegations have received much attention. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to identify the outer limits of the legal framework for border surveillance at the ‘blue’ sea border and the ‘green’ land border in between crossing points. Uncertainties persist under human rights law and with respect to the Schengen Borders Code Regulation and the Sea Borders Regulation. Chapter 12 familiarises readers with this highly significant segment of European migration law. By contrast, the rules on checks on persons at official crossing points are comparatively straightforward, including for refusal of entry. The proliferation of prolonged ‘temporary’ internal border controls within the Schengen area is illustrative of profound governance deficits, which EU institutions struggle to overcome. Judges confirmed that continued internal border controls are illegal, under the current legislative framework at least. Member States have more leeway, however, when it comes to police checks in the border area. Secondary movements of asylum applicants are a bone of contention, partly because of the complexity of the legal regime.
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · paratext
List of Abbreviations ↗Abstract
AGAdvocate GeneralAMIF Regulation (EU) 2021/1147Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund [2021] OJ L251/1, with la
2023 · Oxford University Press eBooks · book-chapter
Legal Migration ↗European Law and Migration
Abstract
Abstract EU legislation on economic migration and family unity concerns several million third country nationals. Chapter 14 assesses the contents and the effects of domestic and supranational rules against the backdrop of years of debate. Family reunification became a controversial topic when the destination countries of ‘guest workers’ and late colonial migration made it harder to sponsor the entry and stay of spouses from countries of origin. Optional clauses in the Family Reunification Directive authorise Member States to maintain or introduce restrictions, which have been criticised. Judges accepted these conditions to be compatible with human rights, provided that states introduce hardship clauses. The Directive contains other protective elements as well; their level of protection goes beyond what states are required to do under human rights law. When it comes to labour migration, the need for common action was never straightforward, in the absence of enhanced transnational effects. Debates about economic migration were divisive, before the EU settled on a sectoral approach. Inspection of the Blue Card Directive and the legislation on students and researchers, intra-corporate transferees, procedures (single permit), and seasonal workers explains why these rules have a limited impact in practice. Member States remain a laboratory for the design of innovative entry channels, both for the highly skilled and for migrants with less qualification. While students and blue card holders may stay for longer, other instruments are designed as temporary admission schemes, mirroring the posting of workers in the single market and under international trade law.
2023 · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
Showdown zur Asylpolitik in Brüssel ↗Free copyEuropean Law and Migration
Abstract
In Brüssel beginnt in Kürze der Endspurt für die EU-Asylrechtsreform. Heftige Kritik erfährt hierbei die deutsche Verhandlungsposition. Nun könnte man die rhetorische Eskalation als typisches Phänomen des Twitter-Zeitalters abtun und meine Einwände – „BVerfG sieht es anders“ – als professorale Besserwisserei. Doch es geht um mehr: Die politische Mitte darf nicht die Fähigkeit verlieren, in der Migrationspolitik widerstreitende Zielvorgaben auszugleichen. Die pragmatische Lösungssuche droht zwischen den binären Alternativen faktisch offener Grenzen und einer gewaltsamen Abschottungspolitik zerrieben zu werden.
2023 · KOPS (University of Konstanz) · report
Begrifflichkeit und rechtliche Bewertung von Rassismus in Institutionen ↗Free copyFree PDF ↗Discrimination and Equality Law Abstract
In welchem Kontext kann Rassismus in Institutionen auftreten?
2023 · Hypotheses (OpenEdition) · other
Grundgesetz und Rassismus. Rechtliche Einordnung einer gesellschaftlichen Debatte. ↗Free copyDiscrimination and Equality Law
Abstract
Seit 1949 verbietet der besondere Gleichheitssatz im Grundgesetz Ungleichbehandlungen wegen der »Rasse«. Dieser wurde seinerzeit in Reaktion auf die Verbrechen des Nationalsozialismus eingefügt. Wird heute über Rassismus diskutiert, fallen die Begriffsdefinitionen meistens deutlich breiter aus als im Jahr 1949. Das gilt sowohl für die Frage, wer von Rassismus betroffen ist, als auch, welche Interaktionen als rassistisch einzustufen sind. In ihrem Sammelband »Grundgesetz und Rassismus« rücken...
2023 · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
Stille Revolution im Schatten des künftigen Punktesystems ↗Free copyMigration and Labor Dynamics
Abstract
Viele Betriebe suchen händeringend Personal. Noch vor Weihnachten beschloss die Bundesregierung deshalb ein Eckpunktepapier, das Innen- und Arbeitsministerium zwischenzeitlich in einen ersten Referentenentwurf übersetzten. Im Zentrum steht ein Punktesystem, das als „Potenzialsäule“ die Einreise zur Jobsuche ermöglicht. Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen des Entwurfs zeigt, dass eine zweite Neuerung mindestens ebenso wichtig ist. Versteckt in der Beschäftigungsverordnung findet sich ein neuer Zugangsweg für Menschen, die keine Uni- oder Berufsausbildung nach deutschen Standards absolvierten, aber aufgrund alternativer Kriterien dennoch als qualifiziert gelten. Diese „Erfahrungssäule“ könnte mehr Menschen anziehen als das Punktesystem und dürfte noch für manche Debatte sorgen.
2023 · JuristenZeitung
Fallstricke des »Doppelpasses«: rechtliche Inhalte und legitime Symbolik ↗Migration, Refugees, and Integration
Abstract
Nationality law serves as a projection sphere for how to redefine membership in response to migration, not least in Germany. Legislative reform steps have been followed closely and controversially over the past 25 years. The latest initiative is no exception. The government plans to shorten waiting period and wants to authorise dual nationality unconditionally. Daniel Thym embeds these proposals in the context. Proliferation of permanent residence statuses for Union citizens and third country nationals entails that nationality does not serve as the door opener for many exclusive membership rights, besides the right to vote, any longer; that is one reason why many people who could apply for a German passport do not do so in practice. Heated political debates about dual nationality tend to overlook crucial aspects. Critics often ignore that dual nationality is generally accepted for second and third generation children already who receive a German passport at birth; the ongoing reform is about naturalisation only. Supporters often ignore theoretical tensions of dual nationality in terms of external voting by non-residents and regarding the promotion of ethno-cultural notions of belonging with countries of origin.
2023 · SSRN Electronic Journal · preprint
Gutachten über Spielräume zur Einschränkung von Asylbewerberleistungen und die Ausweitung des Sachleistungsprinzips (Expert Opinion on Legal Possibilities for Limiting Social Benefits for Asylum Applicants and the Provision of Reception Conditions in Kind) ↗Free copyEuropean Law and Migration
2023 · SSRN Electronic Journal · preprint
Rechtsgutachten über die Anforderungen und Rechtsfolgen des Artikels 72 EU-Arbeitsweisevertrag für die ausnahmsweise Abweichung vom EU-Asylrecht (Expert Opinion about the Requirements and Legal Effects of Exceptional Deviations from the Asylum Acquis under Article 72 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) ↗Free copyEuropean Law and Migration