European Integration Challenges

With the ultimate purpose of the European Union being to encourage greater political, economic and social harmony amongst the states of Western Europe , the promotion and endorsement of European Integration is paramount to the success of attaining this goal. Of late, the pertinent issue regarding European integration is the challenge posed by the integration of refugees into European society, and the effect the success – or lack of – that this has on the support fostered by the EU from its citizens. Arguably, the EU’s historical success in dealing with integration has often faltered. To varying extents, societies throughout the EU have been contending with the challenges posed by ever-growing diversity for decades. In recent years, debates

Yet an absolute solution to optimum integration ceases to exist regardless of this plethora of policy prescriptions and academic debate. Both International and European human rights law allows for the rights to non-discrimination and equality but, as put by Judith Sunderland in her commentary on the current integration challenge faced by the EU, “there is no ‘right’ to integration, nor is there a ‘right’ to live in a homogenous society where diversity poses no challenges”

A recent study by the Pew Research Centre has illustrated the concerns of the citizens of ten EU member states surrounding the potential immigration of asylum-seekers into their respective countries. One of the key concerns outlined in the study is the almost universal fear of an increased likelihood of terrorism which would be potentially posed by an influx of refugees, and the consequential burden imposed on their countries in providing security against this possible threat . Additionally, there is a fear amongst many Europeans that asylum-seekers are a further burden to society due to a belief that it would give rise to unemployment among natives and reduction of social benefits that would otherwise be available to citizens of each nation. Although the study does show that in both Sweden, and Germany, majorities believe the opposite – that being asylum-seekers add to the economic and social strength of the country with their hard work ethic and skills . *In a similar study conducted by the Irish radio broadcaster Newstalk, the data collected reflects a slightly different assertion amongst the Irish population than that of their European counterparts – that is almost half of Irish people believe that the assimilation of refugees into their society will