NOVAMIGRA’s research was divided into three steps: In the first “framing and mapping” phase, NOVAMIGRA developed a comprehensive understanding of the values found in the EU’s main legal documents, regarding which it aimed to investigate whether they have changed as a result of the so-called refugee crisis. A conceptual map defining the “grammar” of values, norms, rights, and moral principles was used as a tool for reconstructing the normative content, genesis, historical background and implementation of the EU Charter, which identifies human dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, democracy and the rule of law as European values. With this in mind, the second step was to analyse which values are brought to bear in political and social migration and integration contexts and whether or how they have changed as a result of the arrival of refugees in Europe in the last decade. Regarding the negotiation of migration/refugee policies in main EU institutions, it could be shown that values do set limits to policy development. Paradoxically, however, this can also mean that the importance of values becomes a reason for trying to prevent immigration to Europe. This effect is further reinforced by the pressure populist parties exert on European migration policy and is not compensated for by the pro-migration discourse that also exists in quality media. The behaviour of agents relevant for dealing with migrants/refugees is also framed by values. The values agents in different countries follow are even partly similar (with important differences e.g. in terms of religion), but usually they do not relate these values directly to European values. Rather, they often understand them as local or even national values.
With these studies, NOVAMIGRA could draw a comprehensive picture of the values and norms that motivate or influence relevant political, administrative and social agents and how this affects migration and integration. As a result of this research, it can be stated that the values themselves have not changed significantly due to the “refugee crisis”. However, the respective values, even if they are supposedly shared, are interpreted and applied very differently. If there is a change, it is in new interpretations of the values. However, NOVAMIGRA assumes that in many cases we do not observe new interpretations. Around 2015, the impression of a change in values emerged because the different interpretations or applications of values became obvious and led to conflicts. So, it could no longer simply be assumed that the different European levels and agents act according to the same values, even if the values they follow have not necessarily changed.
Against the background of this empirical research and with a view to existing normative models of cosmopolitan order, NOVAMIGRA elaborated in its final step perspectives for the EU’s future development. Based on the premise that member states and relevant agents interpret European values differently, maintaining the current status quo proves to be suboptimal. Different understandings of what European values encompass lead to disintegrated and dysfunctional European governance in the field of flight and migration. The European institutions should therefore instead engage in a more robust normative dialogue with the member states to place migration policy on a more stable and integrated normative foundation. The rights-based democratic perspective for the EU and its member states that emerges from this takes into account different interpretations of European values and norms that became visible in the refugee crisis. By explicitly recognising a common mission in the area of flight and migration, Europe would at the same time assume its global responsibility.
