CIRIS

Research Articles

Vol. 7 (2026): Panoply Journal

EU Cooperation with Third Countries on Migration: The Case of the Maghreb Region

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71166/9ev2e466
Submitted
28 January 2026
Published
31 March 2026

Abstract

Since the Euro-Mediterranean Conference of 1995, the European Union has sought to strengthen cooperation with the Maghreb region in order to promote stability and manage shared challenges, including migration. Through the European Neighbourhood Policy and related cooperation frameworks, the European Union has developed strategic partnerships with Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya. This article examines how the EU cooperates with Maghreb states in migration governance and explores the implications of these arrangements for regional power relations. Using regionalism theory as an analytical framework, the study analyses European Union policy instruments and cooperation mechanisms in the Euro-Mediterranean space. The findings suggest that while cooperation has deepened institutional ties between the EU and Maghreb states, it also reflects significant asymmetries in power and responsibility within migration management.

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