EUBORDERSCAPES reflects very different ways in which political and social borders condition our understandings of Europe. Accordingly, policy relevant aspects of the project will involve different levels of political and economic agency and a variety of social spheres. Policy relevant issues will centre on issues such as the contradictions between security concerns, European values of tolerance and respect for cultural difference and tendencies towards national “consolidation”. The implications of borders and “bordering processes” understood in political and socio-cultural terms will have a direct bearing on the development of a greater sense of European citizenship and participation. Based on the issues targeted in WP 13 (Cross-Sectional Analysis and Policy Considerations), the consortium will formulate specific policy-relevant reports that target:

In this way, and informed by case studies and cross-sectional analysis (WP13), there will be an explicit focus of the policy-relevant deliverables on:

 

1. Issues related to the EU’s internal bordering (for example, labour migration, illegal immigration, asylum issues, border management, the Schengen visa rules and border regime) that represent a challenge to deeper European integration and the EU’s future social and economic development.

2. Issues related to European and national integration policies and the challenges of multiculturalism.

3. Issues related to the impacts of the European Union on its regional neighbours. This includes the direct impacts of border management policies as well as other broader aspects of border-related conditionality that the EU is applying as part of its regional co-operation policies.

4. Based on synergies with EUBORDERREGIONS, we will develop policy considerations. regarding the potentials and limits of cross-border co-operation as a tool of conflict-resolution, post-conflict confidence-building and in promoting local/regional social development.

This list will be supplemented by other issues as project work progresses.