Why Informality Makes European Migration Control Tick

In Europe, there's a big talk about making migration "ordered" and safe. But in reality, things seem to be quite the opposite. Let's look at how informality plays a sneaky role in managing migration, using two hotspots: the Dublin III Regulation and readmission agreements. We’ll zoom in on Sweden and Switzerland, two countries known for their strict migration rules. Between 2015 and 2018, researchers spent time in their migration control offices. It turns out, informality is the secret sauce that makes these rigid rules work.

The Dublin Regulation can’t work without a little wink-wink, nudge-nudge understanding, and readmission agreements aren’t always about nice chats that follow the rules. They often ignore the law and end up causing more harm than good to people on the move. So, what’s the lesson here? Things aren't as neat as they seem. Informality is what keeps the European migration control running, even if it doesn't always help those most affected.

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