Closer integration or re‐nationalization? Recent trends in EU migration and asylum policies: The case of Germany

Abstract

Although there has been general agreement in the European Union that the problems created by international migration require harmonized policy responses, the Conference at Tampere in October 1999 demonstrated again the ongoing controversies among member states. This article argues that the reason for this integration deficit can be found in the interaction of several factors: migration and refugee policies have been an area in which the Commission and the Council have continuously competed for competences. Within the Council there have been major disagreements (border controls, harmonization, ‘burden‐sharing'). Integration did not occur because it was not in member states’ interest and this has resulted in a certain ‘re‐nationalizing’ of policies. These dilemmas will be illustrated by the example of Germany ‐ the EU's most powerful member and the destination of the greatest number of refugees and migrants. Germany is increasingly behaving more like a ‘normal’ nation state and is to some extent abandoning its ‘reflexive multi‐Iateralism’. In the area of migration and refugee policies this has to a large extent been due to the lack of solidarity among member states. This has also meant that the German Lander have gained greater influence on Germany's European policy‐making.