ABSTRACT
The gap between what EU elites prescribe and what EU citizens actually want is nowhere more evident than in regard to migration. In EU official doctrine, migration between member states is seen as a good and necessary thing. The European Commission treaty enshrines the free movement of labour as a basic principle and policy makers believe that a genuinely integrated labour market — one where workers move readily between regions, economic sectors and occupations — would make the European economy more competitive and flexible. Even from workers' point of view, it can be argued that those who are not faring well in their home labour markets might have better careers, higher incomes, reduced risk of unemployment and generally better and more satisfying lives if they were willing to take the opportunities offered by migration. Migration could thus be said to have quality-of-life benefits. Emigrant workers might also even eventually benefit their home economies since they would represent an external pool of labour with enhanced skills that might be available to be drawn upon at home through return migration if economic conditions improved. European citizens themselves share these positive views of migration at least to some degree: when asked what the EU represents to them, 53 per cent point to 'freedom to travel and work in the EU' as a major benefit. This factor is rated ahead of other features such as the introduction of the Euro as a common currency (44 per cent) and safeguarding peace (36 per cent). 2
