The Mediterranean Migration Crisis: A Critical Analysis of Current Legal Mechanisms and Policy Responses of EU

Authors : Md Syful Islam, Asm Mahmudul Hasan, Ali Ashraf, Md Mostafa Faısal

Pages : 23-42

Doi:10.52642/susbed.1534681

View : 185 | Download : 318

Publication Date : 2025-12-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The Mediterranean migration crisis has exposed persistent structural weaknesses in the European Union’s migration and asylum governance. This study examines the EU’s principal legal mechanisms and policy responses, including the Dublin Regulation, the Schengen Agreement, the Common European Asylum System, and the European Commission’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum. Using qualitative analysis of policy documents, legal frameworks, institutional reports, and selected case studies, the research evaluates how these instruments operate in practice and their consequences for migrants, frontline states, and host societies. The findings reveal that current EU policies place disproportionate responsibility on Mediterranean border states, produce inconsistent asylum outcomes, and prioritize border securitization over the protection of fundamental rights. Case studies such as the Moria camp fire, the Ceuta crisis, and state responses to NGO rescue operations illustrate the humanitarian and legal consequences of these policy choices. The study argues that without binding responsibility-sharing mechanisms and stronger integration-oriented reforms, EU migration governance will remain fragmented and reactive. It concludes by emphasizing the need for adaptable, rights-based policy frameworks that reconcile border management with humanitarian obligations and long-term migrant integration.
Keywords : Düzensiz Göç, Avrupa Birliği Göç Politikaları, İnsani Kriz, Sınır Güvenliği, Mülteci Entegrasyonu, Akdeniz Göçü

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