The European Union : The New Era Of Integration

Counter intuitively, I will address how European Integration has positively contributed to the debate on immigration. The process of European Integration is responsible for the degradation of individual member states immigration policies, which in turn is causing political unrest and fostering the development of anti-EU sentiments. II. Literature Review The Maastricht Treaty of 1992, which formally created the European Union, establishes the definitive beliefs of the EU and its pillars of cooperation mentioned in McCormick and Olsen’s The European Union: Politics and Policies. These pillars of cooperation included ‘a reformed and strengthened European Community and a Common Foreign and Security Policy.’ (McCormick 79) Along with ‘new rights for European citizens and the creation of an ambiguous European Union “citizenship” including the rights of citizens to live wherever they liked in the EU.’ (McCormick 79) The preceding agreed upon policies are vital to understanding the adverse political climate culminating in Europe in terms of immigration. The negative and unintended consequences of the Union’s open border policies within the EU have caused animosity from certain member states. The animosity is a result of member states loss of sovereignty when determining who may enter their nation. Those opposed to migrants from outside of the