Mixed Migration Review 2025
Migration in the context of geopolitical turmoil
Migration Policy and Governance
Where do migration governance and policies deliver, and where do they fall short? Here you can find MMC analysis on how migration is governed in practice — from border externalisation and deterrence to safe mobility initiatives and global frameworks such as the Global Compact for Migration (GCM). What does the evidence say? How to develop more coherent, effective, and rights-respecting migration policies?
Latest publication
Routes in flux: is EU migration policy working?
Recent declines in irregular arrivals to Europe are increasingly framed as evidence that EU migration policy is working. This briefing paper argues that this interpretation is misleading and should not be used to guide the EU’s new migration strategy. Drawing on recent data and route-level analysis, the paper examines the efficacy and sustainability of deterrence-led measures and highlights their human, political and ethical costs.
Are policies to reduce irregular migration working?
Irregular migration is shaped by both demand and supply: demand from people seeking to move – which, in the absence of sufficient legal pathways translates into a demand for irregular migration – and supply from smugglers who meet that demand and adapt to restrictions and policies. Yet migration policies often focus narrowly on containment and anti-smuggling, rather than addressing migration drivers or expanding safe and legal pathways. Smuggling networks adapt — and even thrive — when restrictions increase, as tighter controls push migrants further into smugglers’ hands.
Effective migration governance must go beyond control and deterrence, to address migration drivers and offer legal alternatives to people on the move. It must also take into account the protection, rights, and needs of people on mixed migration routes, ensuring accountability, transparency, and evidence-based policymaking that uphold both human dignity and practical effectiveness.
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Returns & Reintegration
An overview of our publications and findings on returns and reintegration of migrants and refugees.
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