Maritime Migrations to Europe and the EU Asylum Policy: Building a Protection-Sensitive Entry System

More than 30,000 people lost their lives in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic on maritime migration routes to Europe since 2014. This is a humanitarian disaster at the EU’s doorstep that demands decisive action. This study aims to analyse the evolution of the EU and its Member States’ policies towards migrants and asylum seekers, including the coordination of search and rescue capabilities, in the context of growing migration pressure through maritime routes. Solidarity and coordination between EU Member States are important when dealing with migration inflows that involve maritime routes and extensive search and rescue operations. Ensuring legal pathways for migrants and facilitating their integration into EU society is key to preventing areas of socioeconomic exclusion where social unrest, criminality, xenophobia, anti-EU sentiment and radicalisation tend to flourish. The number of people arriving irregularly in Europe is relatively small, when compared to the total number of regular migrants, so it is realistic to assume that EU Member States can jointly absorb these irregular migrants if a well-organised, protection-sensitive, entry system is set up. A balanced immigration policy must simultaneously ensure the legitimate security concerns of the EU Member States, and the rights of migrants and asylum seekers under international law. The new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum is a step in the right direction, although significant execution challenges lie ahead.