Brief description:

The research explores the European Union’s external action in the field of migration. It
focuses on readmission policies, the procedural and legal framework governing the
conclusion of EU Readmission Agreements and the negotiation process.
The research addresses these topics from two perspectives. Firstly, it analyses a shift in
the EU’s approach, marked by the adoption of informal partnerships with third countries
of origin or transit, as the 2016 EU-Turkey Statement exemplified. Secondly, it highlights
the growing marginalisation of the European Parliament and the Court of Justice of the
European Union in the external dimension.
It argues for a stronger and more coherent role for the EU on the international stage in
addressing migration. It identifies several weaknesses in the current model, including its
predominantly intergovernmental nature, the circumvention of Treaty-based procedures,
and the trend to delegate bilateral relations with third countries to individual Member
States. The study calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and its Member States
within a multilevel governance framework. Still, it warns that such bilateral agreements
risk undermining the Union’s shared competences and compromising the coherence
and legitimacy of EU external migration policy.

Methodology:

Keywords: accords bilatéraux, accountability, Informal Agreements

Home University:

University of Genova, in collaboration with the University of Perugia, Italy.

Faculty:

University of Genova, in collaboration with the University of Perugia, Italy.

Supervisor: Maura Marchegian

Added to catalogue on: 20-11-2025

Additional information: