ABSTRACT
While in theory all residents are expected to participate in the political and economic improvements the European Union (EU) promises, the likelihood of benefits for women has been questioned (see Kofman and Sales, Vaiou and Valentine in this book). Even more questionable is the benefit for immigrant women from non-European countries. Some of these women are in Europe illegally and lack protection from the law; for others, their legal status is often tied to their marital status. The restrictions on their lives may even be increasing as a closer-knit EU is in the process of adopting tighter restrictions in policies to regulate immigration from outside Europe, which will grant or refuse residency rights in all or none of the European countries bound by the Schengen Agreement. The fear of a ‘Fortress Europe’ which eases life for Europeans while making it harder for individuals from outside seems to be justified.
