East-West Migration in Europe, 1991-2000

The demise of the socialist system in Eastern Europe and the subsequent formation of the European Union (EU) paved the way for the emergence of Europe as a distinct political, economic and strategic entity. In view of the political fragmentation generated by the spread of ethnic conflicts in the wake of fall of communism, Western Europe had become the target of an unprecedented surge in immigration from Eastern Europe. From the day one of the search for greater European integration, an important point of disagreement between the East and the West Europe has been the predicted change in the patterns of the east-west migration. Though a basic spirit of the EU is the free movement of persons, the economic and social implications of the movement of labour was and perhaps will remain a controversial issue until the assimilation of the new member states into the EU structures is complete, affecting both governments and citizens. This work is especially useful for researchers and policy makers working on European migration and integration issues.