Forging a Common Immigration Policy for the Enlarging European Union: for Diversity of Harmonization

On 1 May 2004, two processes tend to converge: the EU enlargement on one hand and the setting up of common standards for EU immigration policy on the other. As the ten new member countries accede to the EU, the migratory diversity within and to the Union will further diversify. Consequently, the complex task of creating a common EU immigration policy will become even more complicated. One might even question whether a far-reaching harmonization is possible in the light of considerable differences between migratory experiences of the EU and accession countries. Nevertheless, due to the fact that the enlarged European Union is to constitute a unified migration space with internal freedom of movement, effective management of migration on both the European and national levels requires a broad, European perspective.