New actors and new understandings in European Union external migration governance? : the case of EU-Tunisian migration relations

Abstract

This chapter analyses the expanding nature of the EU’s external migration governance network, focusing on the case of EU-Tunisia migration relations. It develops an actor-centred perspective on migration governance, analysing how the ‘intersection’ of policy universes that followed the so called European migration crisis has led to the inclusion of new actors with new understandings to this governance system. As such, it shows how the EU does not act as a monolithic actor when ‘going abroad’ with its policies and instruments. Instead different policies and relations are developed by actors that often have different understandings of migration and of the challenges it poses, thereby developing their actions based on different priorities. Recognizing two main frames on the basis of which such actors develop their actions -a securitized frame based on the perception of the threat of a migrant invasion, and a migrant centred frame largely focused on the migrant’s experience- the chapter shows the extent to which this system of migration governance plays a key role in defining the challenges with which it is confronted, driving like this relations on migration between the EU and Tunisia.