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Migration—both within and into the European Union—has long been a defining force shaping the continent’s politics, economies, and societies. The EU’s founding ideals of unity, solidarity, and shared prosperity are nowhere more tested than in the arena of migration policy. As Europe faces the dual challenge of internal mobility and external migration pressures, the dream of an ever-closer union is being both realized and undermined by the realities of people on the move.

At the heart of the EU project lies the right to free movement, allowing citizens to live and work anywhere within the bloc. This principle is often celebrated as a cornerstone of European unity and economic dynamism. Intra-EU migration has helped balance labor markets, reduced unemployment in sending countries, and contributed to the overall EU economy. For individuals, the freedom to move offers vital opportunities and a form of social insurance.

Yet, beneath these successes, internal migration has exposed deep fissures. Central and Eastern European member states such as Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland have experienced significant emigration, particularly of young and highly educated citizens. This “brain drain” has exacerbated demographic decline, accelerated population aging, and strained social services, especially in healthcare. In some Romanian regions, for example, up to 44% of doctor positions are vacant, despite the country producing many medical graduates.

While destination countries benefit from an influx of skilled labor, sending countries are left grappling with depopulation and slower economic convergence. Remittances sent home offer some relief, but they tend to decrease as emigrants settle permanently abroad, and cannot fully compensate for the loss of human capital. These demographic and social challenges have fueled resentment and a sense of abandonment, undermining trust in the EU’s promise of shared prosperity.

If internal migration tests the EU’s cohesion quietly, external migration—especially irregular flows from the Middle East, Africa, and now Ukraine—does so with dramatic intensity. The 2015–2016 refugee crisis exposed the EU’s vulnerability and the inadequacy of its migration policies. The sudden influx of refugees and migrants strained the capacities of frontline states and revealed deep-seated divisions among member states over burden-sharing and humanitarian responsibility.

Despite efforts to regain control—such as the EU-Turkey agreement and the establishment of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency—solidarity remains elusive. Many member states, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, have resisted accepting quotas for asylum seekers, citing concerns over national identity, security, and social cohesion. The resulting patchwork of ad hoc arrangements and externalization of asylum processing has done little to foster a sense of common purpose.

The war in Ukraine and ongoing instability in the Middle East continue to drive displacement, forcing the EU to confront both humanitarian crises and geopolitical challenges. While overall arrivals to Europe have declined recently due to stricter controls and international agreements, the underlying pressures remain unresolved. The International Centre for Migration Policy Development warns that Europe’s relatively stable migration patterns are “problems postponed, not solved,” and that volatile scenarios could quickly reignite political tensions.

The migration debate has become a crucible for broader anxieties about the EU’s future. The lack of consensus on both internal and external migration has fueled the rise of populist and nationalist movements, who argue that Brussels is out of touch with ordinary citizens’ concerns. These divisions have made it harder to forge integrated policies and have undermined the EU’s image as a value-driven, normative actor on the world stage.

The crisis of solidarity is not just about policy; it is about identity and trust. For many Europeans, the inability to agree on fair burden-sharing or to address the demographic consequences of emigration calls into question the very foundations of the European project. As one analysis put it, “the absence of any common action from EU members on migration can only induce more dysfunction, as a unified approach remains the best way to offer efficient responses.”

The EU’s migration challenges are not going away. Internal mobility will continue to shape labor markets and demographics, while external pressures from conflict and instability will test the bloc’s humanitarian and security commitments. The key question is whether the EU can move beyond short-term fixes and develop a genuinely integrated migration policy rooted in solidarity and shared responsibility.

This will require addressing the demographic and social impacts of emigration in sending countries, possibly through targeted investment, incentives for return migration, and support for public services. It means building a fair and predictable system for managing asylum and external migration, with clear rules and equitable burden-sharing among member states. And it demands reaffirming the EU’s commitment to its core values—human rights, solidarity, and the rule of law—while responding to legitimate concerns about security and social cohesion.

The European dream of unity remains compelling, but it cannot be sustained by rhetoric alone. Migration—both internal and external—demands practical solutions, political courage, and a renewed commitment to the principles that brought the Union together. Whether Europe can rise to this challenge will define its future for decades to come.

Written by: Nenad Stekić