Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP1578
Authors: Ralph Rotte; Michael Vogler; Klaus F. Zimmermann
Abstract: As exemplified in the 1995 Mediterranean Declaration of the European Union, migration has become a major concern for European development policies. By enhancing socio-economic conditions through development cooperation, a reduction of South-North migration flows is envisaged. This new approach is examined by analysing the causes of asylum migration from developing countries to Germany. The econometric findings suggest that support of democracy, economic development and trade will not reduce migration, at least in the medium run, although restrictive legal measures do work. Migration control by international development cooperation therefore seems to need a long-term perspective.
Keywords: migration; refugees; south-north relations; development economics
JEL Codes: F22; H77; O15; O19; O20
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Political rights and civil liberties (P26) | migration flows (F22) |
| Democratization in LDCs (O17) | migration incentives (J61) |
| Economic conditions in sending countries (F24) | migration rates (J61) |
| Improvements in living standards (I31) | propensity to migrate (F22) |
| Restrictive legal measures in Germany (P37) | asylum applications (F22) |
| Network effects (D85) | new migration flows (F22) |
| Political terror and oppression (P26) | migration rates (J61) |