Will the EU-15s current social welfare systems induce migration from the new member states?

Diplomarbeit , 2005 , 100 Seiten , Note: 1,0

VWL - Fallstudien, Länderstudien

2004 was a momentous year for the European Union (EU). On 1 May the most recent act of Enlargement was finally fulfilled. Ten New Member States from Central and Eastern Europe joined the club and their residents officially became European citizens. The moment was all the more special for eight of the ten newcomers, as they were ruled with an iron fist behind the Iron Curtain for more than forty years. The accession represented the ultimate accolade for their arduous transition from central planned to market economies. The long history of an expanding united Europe thereby reached another peak - regarding cultural integrity, political influence and economic potency. Europhiles praised (lauded, acclaimed???) the EU’s greatest achievement so far. On the other hand, the EU Enlargement also encountered various feelings of skepticism or even disapproval throughout the population of Western Europe. Many people feared that “fortress Europe” would not hold and the walls of the Western social welfare states would be toppled (breached???) by millions of poor immigrants willing to work for extremely low wages and trying to maraud (infiltrate???) the Western welfare systems. Others were anxious that the Enlargement would induce a massive increase in FDI leading to an outsourcing of Western jobs into the East. Obviously the clash of two completely contrary positions raises multiple questions. Who is right? How many migrants can be expected to come, once the free movement of workers has been granted to them? How does the EU Enlargement really affect the Western economies and their labor markets in particular? Is there a threat of “welfare shopping” and, if there is any, what measures can the Western countries take in order to protect themselves from the Eastern menace? In this paper I will deal with these questions by first looking at the theoretical backgrounds and then seeking to support them with empirical findings in order to deduce some answers. In Chapter 2, after a brief overview of the main migration theories, I will examine the migration potential from the New Member States. Chapter 3 aims to provide a deeper insight into the economic and fiscal impact of immigrants on the German state. Chapter 4 deals with the “welfare magnets” hypothesis and provides an answer to the question whether immigrants really pose a threat to the Western welfare states. [...]

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Free Movement of Workers in the EU – Past, Present and Future
• Migration into the EU-15 – Theory and Empirical Evidence
• The Theories of International Migration
• Empirical Evidence about Migration into the EU-15
• Is There Migration Diversion after the Eastern Enlargement?
• The Economic and Fiscal Impact of Immigration on the German State – Boon or Burden?
• Do the EU-15 Really Need Immigration?
• The Economic Impact of Immigrants
• Who Wins and Who Loses from International Migration?
• Empirical Evidence about the Impact of Immigration on Domestic Wages
• Empirical Evidence about the Impact of Immigration on Domestic Unemployment
• The Fiscal Impact of Immigrants
• Studies Confirming the “immigrant-as-a-burden” Thesis
• Studies Confirming the \"immigrant-as-a-net-contributor\" Thesis
• The “Welfare Magnets” Hypothesis - Hollow Threat or Imminent Danger?
• The Different Welfare States in Europe
• The Social Assistance in Germany and the UK – a Head-to-Head Comparison
• The “Welfare Magnets” Hypothesis – Basic Theory
• The “Welfare Magnets” Hypothesis – Empirical Evidence
• USA
• EU-15
• Germany
• Harmonizing the EU-15's Social Policies - Panacea or Pandora's Box?
• Pro-Harmonization Arguments
• Contra-Harmonization Arguments
• Other Migration Policy Options

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This work aims to analyze the potential effects of the EU's eastward expansion on migration patterns within the European Union. Specifically, it focuses on whether the social welfare systems of the older EU member states (EU-15) will induce migration from the new member states.

• The free movement of workers in the EU
• The economic and fiscal impact of immigration on EU-15 member states
• The "welfare magnets" hypothesis and its empirical evidence
• The potential for harmonization of social policies in the EU
• The implications of EU enlargement for migration patterns

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the topic of the free movement of workers in the EU and its historical context. It then discusses the theory and empirical evidence related to migration into the EU-15, including the impact of the eastern enlargement. Chapter three delves into the economic and fiscal impact of immigration on the German state, examining the potential benefits and burdens. The “welfare magnets” hypothesis, which suggests that generous social welfare systems attract migrants, is explored in detail in chapter four. This chapter examines the theory behind the hypothesis and reviews relevant empirical evidence from different countries, including the USA, EU-15, and Germany. The final chapter explores the potential consequences of harmonizing social policies in the EU, analyzing both the potential benefits and drawbacks.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This work focuses on migration, social welfare systems, economic impact of immigration, fiscal impact of immigration, welfare magnets, EU enlargement, and social policy harmonization. It draws on empirical evidence and theoretical models to analyze the potential consequences of EU enlargement on migration patterns and the implications for member states.

• Hochschule: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (Alfred-Weber-Institut)
• Note: 1,0
• Autor: Martin Popov (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2005
• Seiten: 100
• Katalognummer: V55770
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638506380
• ISBN (Buch): 9783656778462
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: Will, EU-15s