The impact of EU decision-making in managing the migration crisis in Western Balkans, a social and legal approach

This paper addresses recent efforts of Western Balkan countries in managing the increasing waves of migration, in accordance with EU institutional policies and mechanisms. When it comes to administration or management, migration can be with no doubt a challenge for both, European and candidate countries. In this regard, most of Western Balkans countries aiming the membership continuously make efforts to harmonize internal or regional policies with those of EU. On the other hand, European Union has developed different practices and decision-making initiatives to manage the situation. These decisions have also affected the region. Recently, most of Balkan people migrate towards EU countries. The way how European practices are facing legal and illegal migration has imposed Balkan reality to undertake specific approaches on finding the best methods to handle the migration situation and at the same time establishing and reaching out the standards of the road towards EU integration. This paper brings some insights on the implementation and compliance of candidate states with European migration policy as part of the acquis communautaire. It aims to analyse the political, legislative, and social impact of EU decision making on migration in the region. It provides an analysis of recent policies in two perspectives, legal and social ones, with the aim to explain on one hand changes on legislation and on the other to analyse social consequences of such policies undertaken. Specifically, this paper attempts to answer to the following research questions: how public institutions of Balkan Countries are developing and implementing the migration policy following EU practices; which are the positive and negative effects of EU practices on managing migration in the region; what can be improved in EU legislation and institutional mechanisms for migration policy, especially towards the Balkan region situation.