Croatia and the (necessary) European Union policy making on immigration in the Mediterranean Region

Migration is one of the most severe problems facing the European Union at present but, up to now, the EU has not proven very efficient in dealing with the issue. On the one hand, its primary law lays the ground for a common policy on migration and asylum and the EU Institutions are all involved in an attempt to find solutions. On the other hand, European countries are building fences along their borders, and some norms of the European Treaties seem to preserve their sovereignty in that field. In light of the above, this paper analyzes the EU primary norms that can be considered "in favor" or "against" a common policy on asylum and the actions taken in the last year by the EU institutions and Member States, with the aim to argue that it is necessary to deal with the "refugee emergency" at a European level.