Externalization of the European Union Migration Regime: The Case of Turkey

Abstract

ABSTRACT Migration management has become a top policy concern for the European Union (EU) and a significant implication of this has been to externalize the control and containment practices of migration. As a neighboring country maintaining accession negotiations to become an EU member, Turkey represents a primary area where this externalization occurs. Using a historical case analysis, this article explores how the EU influences Turkey’s migration regime through securitized policies and practices of externalization. It argues that the EU further securitizes Turkey’s already securitarian migration regime by employing the principle of conditionality. Upon providing a brief discussion on securitization of migration and the EU’s securitized externalization practices, the study examines Turkey’s immigration and asylum policies while underlining that the EU has been accelerating the country's already securitarian migration framework through stricter visa regime protocols, increased border security measures, and certain bilateral arrangements including the Readmission Agreement and the Joint Action Plan. It also outlines challenges and recommendations with a conclusion that security-oriented externalized practices diminish the immigrant rights and reinforce uneven socio-economic and political structures. It suggests the need to enforce broader humanitarian perspectives for migration practices. For these analyses, the study utilizes secondary data consisting of previous empirical studies, institutional documents, reports, news articles, and official statements.