MIGNEX Policy Brief
Is policy coherence a smokescreen for a more restrictive migration agenda?
Historically, the EU aimed for policy coherence across development and migration policies to prevent undermining development in other countries. Yet the meaning of ‘coherence’ has shifted.
Key takeaways
In the EU policy context, ‘policy coherence’ now refers to ‘efficient’ migration policies with a focus on returns, while development policies are conceived mainly to manage and prevent migration.
The depoliticized language of “policy coherence” helps to overcome internal disputes by maintaining the same language yet changing its meaning.
As the New EU Pact is implemented, it is important to understand the history of coherence as a concept, particularly around return policies and the trend towards stricter migration policies.
