589 Ricard Zapata-Barrero The external dimension of migration policy in the Mediterranean region: premises for normative debate Finally, it is important to mention the dialogue on migration in the Western Mediterranean (5+5). At a conference held in Algeciras (and continued in Évora),4 this multilateral forum sought to include a number of Sub-Saharan African countries in the discussions, thus incorporating transit countries as stakeholders and establishing all aspects of integration and development as priorities for the period. This signalled the intention to make the countries of origin and transit of migrants collectively responsible for solidarity and integration. The so-called Global Approach to Migration announces the need for a balanced, global and coherent approach aimed at gathering relevant policies to fight against illegal immigration and, in cooperation with third countries, to expand the benefits of legal migration. It stipulates that migration issues are central to the EU’s relations with a broad range of third countries, including, in particular, the neighbouring countries east and south of the Union. In fact, the Global Approach results from the invitation made by the European Council to the Commission in late 2005. The Commission advanced in its global approach to external relations, development and employment, and justice and security, fixing target actions focused on Africa and the Mediterranean. It also suggests including new political areas that were not part of the initial global approach, such as legal measures regarding migration and integration, mentioning the need to instil greater efficiency in EU decision-making in this area. To summarise early institutional action, the EU’s first reaction to human mobility that violated human dignity in the Mediterranean was to demand that responsibility be shared with the countries of origin and, secondly, a change of approach, linking migration and development, and implementing state policy outside the jurisdiction of the nation, in the territory of the countries of origin, with the latter countries’ agreement. Various strategies have been developed in the EU with the aim of managing the flow of migrants before they leave their countries of origin. We can see that this new approach could be expressed either through restrictive border control policies or proactive policies aimed at reducing the causes that lead to the decision to emigrate. Another feature of this new approach is bilateralism, i.e., it only occurs when there is interaction between two countries (receiving and sending countries) with a view to jointly managing the migration process. The change demonstrates a very clear turn in policy: what was once seen as a problem that divided at least two states is now seen as a way of uniting them. With this new approach, it is interesting from a theoretical perspective to draw a distinction between two policy practices that are initially seen as linked: border control and management of migration flows. This practice reveals an assumption that 4 Dialogo 5+5 para las migraciones en el Mediterráneo. Dialogue 5+5 for migration in the Mediterranean. Sexta Conferencia Ministerial sobre la Migración en el Mediterráneo Occidental Évora ( Portugal), 26 y 27 de mayo de 2008 Sixth Ministerial Conference on Migration in the Western Mediterranean in Évora (Portugal), 26 and 27 May 2008.
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