Theorizing the External Dimension of EU’s Immigration Policy

This chapter presents a broad theoretical and conceptual framework for analyzing the externalization of the EU’s immigration policy. It scrutinizes the relevant theoretical framework and approaches that include various interlinked themes and concepts as well as potential constraints on the formulation and implementation of policy externalization. More specifically, ‘external governance’ and ‘Europeanization beyond Europe’ are studied to guide the research. The empirical links and tools discussed in this chapter are then applied to the migration field with a focus on the nature, scope, actors, modes and limits of cooperation concerning relations between the EU and third countries. Finally, two main approaches are examined, namely remote control and root cause, that help to explain the essential motives behind the EU’s externalization of its migration policy towards third countries. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.