Regional economic integration and migration: lessons from the case of Europe

The migration literature defines internal migration within states as basically different from international migration. The former is supposed to be a free option for all residents of a state, while the latter—movement across political borders—is subject to sovereign (exit/admission) decisions of states. But what happens (or may happen) to migration when sovereign states decide to integrate their economies and create internal markets? The answer to this question in the case of Europe is interesting both as a critical note to the theory of migration on this matter and possibly also as an example to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is asking itself the question of what role migration could or should have in its planned economic cooperation.

This contribution basically asks what the relation is between regional economic and political integration on the one hand, and migration across borders of national states in Europe, on the other. How did migration of people across borders of European states actually develop since roughly 1950? How was it perceived and what admission and integration policies of states did it solicit? How have regional economic and political institutions and policies developed in Europe and how have these handled migration (of workers and persons) across borders of member states? What conclusions can be drawn from this case as to the nature of national and regional policies and the nature of international migration itself?