| Regarding migratory flows in relation to EU enlargement, there is a popular assumption that labor markets of existing member states will be overwhelmed by newcomer intra-EU migrants. Freedom to move throughout the EU is unquestionably an incentive for some to emigrate, but the corresponding domestic changes as a result of membership also incentivize some migrants to return. Using the Western Balkans as a regional focus, as well as the experience of the 2004/2007 enlargements, I explore these incentives in depth and examine whether return migration in response to EU accession can be expected. I conclude that, while there is still significant potential for emigration from the Western Balkans, the stabilizing effects of the EU accession process on both economic and democratic norms act as a significant pull factor for return migration. |
