SECURITIZATION OF MIGRATION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION - BETWEEN DISCOURSE AND PRACTICAL ACTION

LEGAL AND ILLEGAL MIGRATION IN EUROPE PRECEDING THE END OF THE COLD WAR IS THEHIGHLIGHT FOR RESEARCHERS, THE MEDIA, POLITICIANS, ECONOMISTS AND SOCIOLOGISTS, BOTH BYTHE EFFECTS IT HAS ON A SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC LEVEL, BUT ALSO BY THE DIRECTONES ON SOCIETAL SECURITY. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PAPER IS TO CAPTURE THEINTERDEPENDENCE CONNECTION BETWEEN MIGRATION AND SECURITY AT A EUROPEAN LEVEL ANDTO EXAMINE THE WAY IN WHICH THE EU APPROACHES AND MANAGES THE ISSUE OF SECURITY INTERMS OF LEGAL AND ILLEGAL MIGRATION, WHICH IS THE SOURCE OF POLITICAL, ECONOMIC ANDSOCIETAL SECURITY. THE FIRST PART OF THIS ARTICLE MAKES A REVIEW OF THE SPECIALIZEDLITERATURE IN RELATION TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF MIGRATION-SECURITY RELATIONSHIP WITHINEUROPE. THE SECOND PART ANALYZES EU’S INTEGRATED MEASURES IN APPROACHING SECURITY,FROM LEGAL ISSUES, TACKLING OF THE ISSUE IN THE UNION TREATIES AND POLITICAL DISCOURSESTO THE EFFECTS OF EU’S IDENTITY CONSTRUCT PROCESS. HOW DID MIGRATION BECOME A SECURITYISSUE? TO WHAT EXTENT HAVE TRADITIONAL SECURITY APPROACHES/TOOLS BECOME USELESS FORTHE MANAGEMENT OF IMMIGRATION AND THE PROVISION OF SECURITY AT EUROPEAN BORDERS? TOWHAT EXTENT IS THE NEW SECURITY AGENDA OF THE EU AN INTEGRATED RESPONSE TO THE CURRENTMIGRATION FROM AND TOWARDS EUROPE? THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WILL TRYTO ANSWER THROUGH OUR ANALYSIS.