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Over the last 15 years, the locus of policymaking towards asylum seekers and refugees
has shifted away from national governments and towards the European Union (EU) as the
Common European Asylum Policy has developed. Most of the focus has been on the
harmonization of policies relating to border control, the processing of asylum claims,
and reception standards for asylum seekers. But this still falls far short of a fully integrated
EU-wide policy. This article examines the basis upon which a joint EU policy can be
justified. I then ask whether superior outcomes can be achieved by harmonization alone
or if more centralized policymaking is necessary. I chart the progress of harmonization and
burden-sharing in the development of the Common European Asylum System and explore
its effects. I also study the political feasibility of deeper policy integration by analysing
public attitudes in the European Social Survey. I conclude that deeper integration is both
desirable and politically possible.
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