Cross-Border Welfare State

The position of non-EU migrants in social security is problematic. Many European states reduce access to social benefits for categories of migrants whose presence is not desired. At the same time the scope of application of the national systems is becoming more confined to the national borders, as, for example, countries take measures to reduce the exportability of benefits. These two trends of exclusion and retrenchment particularly affect irregular immigrants and persons moving between Europe and developing countries who are not protected by any bilateral social security agreements. The background of these trends can be traced back to the way social security interacts with immigration and civic integration policies. This book addresses this interaction and contains contributions on the social security position of irregular migrants, on the reception of asylum seekers, on income requirements in immigration law, on civic integration, on informal social security protection of formally excluded migrants and on social protection and voluntary return. These separate contributions lead to an overall analysis on the position of excluded migrants. Knowing that the exclusion of certain immigrants from social security is legitimate from the point of view of national policies or even from the point of view of the logics of social security itself, what alternative strategies can be developed in order to give protection to excluded migrants without undermining these policies and logics?


About this book
‘It is notable and refreshing that most contributors adopt a balanced and realistic approach when discussing the social security position of non-EU migrants. […] The questions and challenges raised by the editors are timely and important at a moment where many EU migration law instruments are in the process of being revised. The social security position of third-country nationals is a topic that has not been sufficiently addressed so far, neither in the relevant legal documents nor in the academic literature. Overall, the book thus addresses an often overlooked aspect and constitutes a valuable read for anyone interested in one of the related fields of social security, immigration and integration.’
Anja Wiesbrock in 50 CMLR (2013)

‘[this] book is important because it examines the possibility of developing a new approach towards social protection of irregular migrants.’
Freya Semanda in 16 EJSS (2014)