Florian Trauner

The Limits of EU Market Power in Migration Externalization: Explaining Migration Control Provisions in EU Preferential Trade Agreements The European Union (EU) increasingly seeks cooperation with transit and sending countries to prevent irregular migration and enforce returns. Yet, these countries have little incentives to engage in ...

Their full article can be accessed here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

However, as the authors write, the inclusion into all types of agreements 'does not follow a strategic selection logic based on trade or migration interdependence'. In other words, by having migration control clauses into most agreements including trade, the EU undermined their actual relevance.

@pzlotnik.bsky.social @lutzphilipp.bsky.social and Sandra Lavenex did research on this issue and traced the first migration control clauses in preferential trade agreements to the mid-1980s. They then became almost standard in different external agreements of the EU.

@politico.eu reports that the EU considers withdrawing trade benefits if a third country refuses to cooperate on readmission. While the EU seems to be more determined this time, this line of thinking is actually not new at all from a longitudinal perspective.

Towards a Fairer EU Asylum Policy: Lessons from the Dublin system for the EU’s Solidarity Mechanism On 11 November 2025, the European Commission released its first European Annual Asylum and Migration Report as part of the new policy cycle introduced by the EU’s Pact on Migration and Asylum. The Commission examined the asylum, migration and reception situation across the EU and found that four member states are under ‘migratory pressure’, and 14 others either ‘at risk’ or facing a ‘significant migration situation’.

🚨 New analysis of #Pact and #EU asylum governance 🚨

Which lessons to be drawn from the Dublin system for the implementation of the New Pact’s solidarity mechanism? This paper analyses all transfers that took place between 2008 and 2024 in the EU.

www.epc.eu/publication/...

Curious about how fairness and solidarity can reshape EU asylum policy—and what the Dublin system teaches us for the new solidarity mechanism? Join my talk on Monday, 24 Nov at 16:00 in Vienna (in English, online access available). Register and take part!

eif.univie.ac.at/downloads/ve...

Commission launches first Annual Migration Management Cycle under the Pact on Migration and Asylum Today, the European Commission is taking a further step in implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum by launching the first Annual Migration Management Cycle.

Hey Saskia, the Press Release of the Commission summarizes the categories of the different countries in a precise way: ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

I had a bit of a mix up with countries so I created a new one today. It also includes new information...

👀 Let’s hope this outcome is avoided. The next steps in operationalising the Solidarity Mechanism will require close attention and political finesse. The stakes for EU asylum responsibility-sharing are high. 🇪🇺✨

🔁 Some capitals have floated another condition: they might only accept relocations if 🇮🇹 Italy and 🇬🇷 Greece resume taking more Dublin transfers.

This could lead to zero-sum exchanges of migrants rather than genuine burden-sharing — hardly the goal of solidarity. ⚖️

➕ All in all, 18 Member States are experiencing some form of pressure — while 9 are not.

But here comes the political crunch: several governments, notably 🇭🇺 Hungary, strongly oppose relocations. So will the Council be able to assemble meaningful solidarity pledges? 🧠

So who remains? 🟢 Nine states are reported to have no migratory pressures: 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇸🇰 Slovakia, 🇸🇮 Slovenia, 🇸🇪 Sweden.

🔄 Four countries sit in both categories: 🇧🇬 Bulgaria, 🇪🇪 Estonia, 🇭🇷 Croatia and again 🇵🇱 Poland.

They are simultaneously “at risk” and already facing “significant” challenges. These states can seek deductions and qualify for financial support. 🧰

🧮 Six Member States — among them 🇦🇹 Austria and 🇨🇿 Czechia — are classified as facing a significant migratory situation.

They can request deductions from their contributions to the Solidarity Pool. That means that they may not offer relocations, but financial contributions remain expected. 💼

💶 These states may access financial support, and their situation will be reassessed relatively quickly.

Twelve others — including major players like 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇫🇷 France and 🇵🇱 Poland — are labelled at risk of migratory pressures.

This can stem from high arrivals, overstretched reception systems, or concerns about the weaponisation of migration. ⚠️

🌊 Four states are officially under migratory pressure: 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇪🇸 Spain and 🇮🇹 Italy.

They can tap into the full set of EU solidarity tools: relocations, financial aid, and operational or technical assistance. 🤝

🇪🇺📊 The @ec.europa.eu has released its first European Annual Asylum and Migration Report. It maps the migratory situation across all Member States and outlines who may receive support — and who is expected to provide it. The key question: can the system work in practice? 🧩

I have to correct myself here: Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia and Poland are counted for both categories (risk and significant situation). The total is then not 22 but 14. Apologies for the error.

Here is the link to the full report: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/dow...

If that happens, solidarity stays a paper tiger 🐯 — more rhetoric than reality.

Next up: turning solidarity into action. ⚙️

But here’s the catch — real, tangible support will rely on a small group of states carrying most of the weight.

Two big risks ahead:
1️⃣ Solidarity contributions may fall short of making a real difference 💶
2️⃣ Key member states might refuse to play along ❌

That’s very likely far more than the Commission initially hoped for — reflecting intense 🇪🇺 lobbying by governments eager for formal recognition of migratory pressures. Who is exactly on the list was probably a main reason why the publication of this report was delayed for about a month.

🟡 18 others face the "risk of migratory pressures" or a "significant migration situation".
➡️ That’s 22 member states entitled to solidarity or to reduce their contributions regarding solidarity for others.

📊 4 countries officially under “migratory pressure”: 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇮🇹 Italy

EU-Informationskampagnen zur Abschreckung irregulärer Migration | EU-Migrations- und Asylpolitik | bpb.de Informationskampagnen sollen „aufklären“, häufig auch mithilfe abschreckender Geschichten und Bilder. Das soll irreguläre Migration verhindern. Funktioniert das?

Es freut mich, einen Beitrag für @bpb.de zum Thema
EU-Informationskampagnen zur Abschreckung irregulärer Migration verfasst zu haben. Frei online abrufbar👇

www.bpb.de/themen/migra...

🚨 New publication out!
Together with @linavosyliute.bsky.social, we examine the EU’s risk of falling into a far-right trap in the negotiations on the Return Regulation.
📄 Published as an open-access Policy Brief by @birmm.bsky.social l — free to read & share!

zenodo.org/records/1696...

The impact of the Russian war against Ukraine on the reform of the common European asylum system This article analyses how the Russian invasion and the mass influx of Ukrainians have impacted the Europeanisation dynamics in EU asylum policy, notably the process of reforming the Common European...

Our article on the impact on Russia's war against Ukraine on the reform of the Common European Asylum System has finally ended its "early view"-status. It found a home in the current issue of European Politics and Society - and is still freely accessible to all.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

YouTube video by Stiftung Familienunternehmen und Politik Spotlight Brussels with Prof. Florian Trauner: How Can Europe Attract Top Talent?

Happy to have engaged with the 'Foundation for Family Businesses and Politics' on the subject of migration, skills shortages and Europe's strive to attract talent.
#SkillsShortage #EuropeanTalent #FamilyBusinesses

youtu.be/0CWWsldfufg?...

Aid cuts are driving migrants to Europe, warns UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi calls on EU countries to support existing asylum facilities in Africa rather than create new schemes

Before the 2015 refugee crisis, the cash-strapped World Food Programme had to drop 1/3 of its Syrian refugees from food vouchers in its Middle Eastern programme. A few months later, arrival numbers in Europe increased. Now, 10 years later, all of this seems forgotten...

www.ft.com/content/976f...