Abstract

This chapter examines the evolution of governance of migration in the European Union, by assessing both inter- and intra-EU migration. It applies a historical lens and examines how EU-level policies towards immigration changed, focussing on both migration from outside the EU and migration of EU-citizens between member states. It takes EU policies on migration as a form of European exceptionalism and considers that the push for common external border controls and policies for admitting non-EU citizens has been facilitated by the existence of the Schengen zone. The chapter reviews literature that analyses how governance in the EU evolved from an ‘intergovernmentalist’ approach towards ‘supranationalism’. That literature argues that governments gradually decided to participate in migration policy cooperation at the EU level, mostly in the form of security-focused initiatives.