In February 2022, the worst humanitarian and refugee crisis since 1940 unfolded in Europe, following the Russian war against Ukraine (OECD International Migration Outlook 2022, 4). In 2015 already,...Show moreIn February 2022, the worst humanitarian and refugee crisis since 1940 unfolded in Europe, following the Russian war against Ukraine (OECD International Migration Outlook 2022, 4). In 2015 already, Europe had faced a sharp increase in demands for asylum, following the Syrian civil war. Immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers have been generally marginalized in recent years in Europe, through an ‘us and them’ rhetoric. The welcoming of Ukrainian refugees however, demonstrated a never seen before impetus for support and integration, proving the European ability to set up effective and quick responses to humanitarian crisis. Why then, were such means never deployed before? Why did European member-states never demonstrate a similar level of cohesion before? And what does that say about the ways in which the European Commission sets its migration policies? This thesis will shed light on the European Commission’s setting of policy- responses on migration, through a comparative study of the Syrian and Ukrainian migration crises, to explore the potential ‘double-standard’ on refugees.Show less
