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NIAS Europe Studies Brief
Assessing EU Integration over the Years by Analysing the Response of Member Countries to Refugees
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Amrita Purkayastha
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About the Author Dr Purkayastha is an independent researcher. Her research interest includes areas like refugee laws, migration, and European regional affairs. She has completed her doctorate degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, and has three peer-reviewed publications centring on different issues of refugees around the world.
NIAS/CSS/CRPR/U/IB/05/2023
NIAS Area Studies Brief No. 53
NIAS Europe Studies 09 May 2023
Introduction
The supranational structure of the European Union has been revered by many as the ultimate framework of a regional organization.* However, integration within the Union has been challenged in recent times as evidenced by the reaction of the member countries towards the refugees, especially the ones from the MENA region. The oneness of the region, known for its liberal and open policies, has been criticised for the increased securitisation of region policies and division among the member states’ response based on religion and ethnicity. The 2015 refugee crisis brought Europe to a crossroads between the supranational ideals of one area with common justice and freedom for all and the rise of nationalistic democracies with their populist agenda.1 The Russia-Ukraine war has not only dragged the region back to Cold War-era politics, but it has larger implications for the member countries of the European Union. This research tries to map the process of integration over the years through the arrival of different waves of refugees. It argues that there is a disparity between the decisions taken at the supranational level and the way it is implemented in different EU states. The study further asserts that EU decisions do not always reflect the will of the citizens of the member countries.
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