International Migration in Europe

The main aim of this paper is to identify the chief characteristics of European migration flows during the last decade.We do this in terms of a series of questions relating to diversity of the flows and shifts in the patterns and trends.We start by examining whether there have been major changes in stocks of foreign population and whether migration flows in Europe are increasing.We will also review the main origins of foreign migrants and identify the major changes in Europe´s migration fields.Finally, we deal with the impact of EU enlargement and conclude by examining the available data on asylum seeking and irregular migration. 2The lack of data available and the enormous variation from country to country means there is no simple European pattern or trend.Europe is highly geographically differentiated in its physical and human geography and its migrations, not only between east and west, and north and south, but also between adjacent countries.The image of Europe is, therefore, one of diversity.This diversity relates not only to existing flows and trends but also to the methods of registering and measuring them. 3Although statistical data provision has immeasurably improved in recent years, the situation remains far from ideal.In Western Europe, the existing data still pose a wide range of problems for the user, arising largely from incompatibility of sources, conceptual and definitional problems.In Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS data availability has improved but methods of collection are still inadequate and there is a lack of well-developed statistical systems.Although considerable strides have been made in some countries in the region, the general picture with regard to data availability is patchy. 4A fundamental problem is the complexity of migration.For the most part the concepts of migration used as the basis for collecting statistics do not reflect many of the realities of today's movements, characterised as they are by new forms and dynamics.Particularly difficult to capture are short-term movements and status changes as well as, most obviously, illegal migrations.Changes in foreign national stocks do not only reflect the balance of flows and changes of status that result in their incorporation in International Migration in Europe Revue européenne des migrations internationales, vol.22