2024 Theses Master's

The Evolution of the European Asylum Pact in the Western Balkans: Implications for asylum-seekers and human rights dynamics

Drino do Amaral Coutinho, Sara

This paper seeks to examine the impact of the European Union (EU) asylum policies on the Western Balkans region, particularly in light of the 2015 European migration and asylum crisis. The research explores the evolution of the EU asylum frameworks, focusing on the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and externalization policies which came about in response to the crisis, and evaluates their implication for human rights.

The paper also highlights the effects of the EU funding mechanisms on the treatment of asylum seekers particularly through examples of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia as case studies. The findings show that while the primary goal of the EU policies was to enhance regional cooperation with other non-EU states, the product was prioritization of securitization and deterrence over human rights. This further resulted in violations at the external borders of Balkan countries, establishing the region as the “backyard” of Europe.

The thesis emphasizes on the importance of transparency and responsibility-sharing and concludes by offering reflections on how to address these challenges and potentially create a more equitable asylum framework for Balkan countries.

key words: asylum, asylum-seekers, European Union, Western Balkans, human rights, asylum pact, asylum systems