THEMIS: Stuck in transit: the Dublin regulation, national discrepancies, and secondary migration of asylum seekers in Europe

Tensions related to a harmonization of EUs asylum policies are reinforced by the current economic crisis. In this paper we look at the interplay between the Dublin Regulation, national discrepancies in asylum policies and individual migrants' strategies.

We study mechanisms in the interaction between the supranational, the national and the individual level. The empirical focal point is bilateral secondary migration between Italy and Norway. Interviews with Eritrean migrants, with NGO personnel and government representatives in the two countries provide the basis for a discussion of two research questions:

- In what ways is the Dublin Regulation challenged by national differences, migrants' strategies and the current economic crisis?
- How does the Dublin Regulation influence migrants' strategies regarding secondary movements within Europe?

We argue that although this particular migration system stretches back further along the route between Eritrea and Norway, it makes sense to study the intermediary stage of the asylum journeys - the unclear transit/destination juncture of Italy and Norway.

Secondary movements within the EEA-area are indicators of regime competition and the concomitant migrant strategies. By studying secondary movements between the South and the North related to their respective regimes as to the asylum/labor market/welfare policy nexus, it is possible to analyze tensions and interconnections between the supranational and the national policy levels. In our discussions we draw upon established topics in the field of migration studies, such as destination choices, the role of information, feed-back systems, as well as the importance of experiences in transit.

We combine concepts developed by de Haas (2011) with a model of action used by Brekke and Aarset (2009), to present our data: The migrants' immediate situation, their perception of opportunities in transit/other destination countries, destination information, perceptions of hindrances, capabilities (resources, networks, abilities), and finally destination specificity (directedness towards one specific country).