Immigration law in the European Community

Book abstract:

The purpose of this study is to look at the history of immigration law in the European Community, from the Community's conception in 1957 to the present day, first focussing on the developments of the law relating to Community nationals and their third country national dependents, then looking at the extension of Community immigration law to third country nationals through agreements between their states of origin and the EC. The most dramatic change has occurred with the amendments of the EC Treaty which took effect on 1 May 1999 when the Amsterdam Treaty came into force. The premise examined in this book is whether in the exercise of that competence certain principles can be discerned which inform the division of power and choice between the state and the individual.

The centre of analysis of this book is the individual migrant: what are the rights and duties of the individual and what is his or her relationship of rights on the one hand with the Member State and on the other hand with the European Community? This book examines the structure and content of European Community immigration law from the perspective of the individual most closely affected by that law.

Special attention is given to the rights of Turkish workers under the agreement between Turkey and the EC and the possibilities of residence and economic activity for nationals of the Central and Eastern European countries under the Europe Agreements.

Elspeth Guild is CPO Professor of Migration Law at the University of Nijmegen, and is co-editor of the 'European Journal of Migration and Law' and the 'Immigration and Asylum Law and Policy in Europe' book series.