The Role of Third Countries in EU Migration Policy: The Mobility Partnerships

N. Reslow*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Third countries are actors in EU external migration policy, not merely passive recipients of policy proposals. In order to understand policy outcomes, it is necessary to understand why third countries decide to participate (or not) in EU migration policy initiatives. The conditionality model provides an explanation which focuses on the domestic preferences of and processes in the third countries. In 2007, the EU introduced the Mobility Partnerships. These partnerships are intended to be the framework for migration relations between the EU and third countries in Eastern Europe and Africa. The Cape Verdean government decided to sign a Mobility Partnership because the benefits of this cooperation with the EU out-weighed the costs. The Senegalese government refused to sign because the Mobility Partnership would have implied significant, unacceptable costs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)393-415
Number of pages23
JournalEuropean Journal of Migration and Law
Volume14
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2012

Keywords

  • EU migration policy
  • Mobility Partnerships
  • West Africa

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