Liberal vs restrictive concept of the EU immigration policies

Abstract

The authors of the paper deal with the immigration policies in the European Union, i.e. in itsmember states as constituent parts of a complex community. The main aim is to determine whatimmigration policies are conducted by the EU member states depending on their public opinion, theirsocial, demographic, and economic structure, as well as cultural, political-parliamentary and securitypolicies. It is assumed that the immigration policies of the EU member states could be researched onan ideal-type scale, ranging from liberal to restrictive immigration policies. Based on all availablequantifiers, we opted for MIPEX or the Migrant Integration Policy Index. Based on MIPEX, one canclearly see the tendency towards one of the borderline immigration policies on a scale ranging fromliberal to restrictive immigration policies. The EU member states whose nationality is territoriallybounded, (nation states, the civil-national principle) and which have long immigration tradition tendto opt for liberal immigration policies. Institutional measures such as allocating funds for welfarebenefits and government efficiency point out to stable systems of welfare state where liberalimmigration policy is dominant. In addition, communities which are economically strong and stablein terms of security, also show tendencies towards liberal immigration policy.

Keywords

• liberal concept
• restrictive concept
• immigration policy
• the eu
• mipeks