Evolution of regional patterns of international migration in Europe

The recent evolution of European international migration has been characterised by a general trend towards the enlargement of the migration system centred on EU countries. In fact, former emigration countries of Southern Europe have increasingly been affected by immigration flows, radically changing their position in migration dynamics. In the future, new EU members will probably experience a very fast process of integration, also in the migration field. This integration has already started in migration policy issues. Notwithstanding these processes, differences persist and contribute to strongly differentiate trends, patterns, issues, and possible evolution at the European regional level. In this context, this article describes the overall evolution of European regional patterns from the end of World War II to the present, highlighting the importance of the political factor in migration dynamics as well as some possible lines of development.