Fighting against irregular forms of migration: The poisonous fruits of the securitarian approach to cooperation with Mediterranean countries

The aim of the chapter is to single out some qualitative aspects of bilateral cooperation devoted to dealing with irregular migration. The attention is drawn on both various agreements and less formalized forms of collaboration so far deployed. These instruments are discussed under two main headings: agreements or arrangements concerned with irregular migration (and with any security risks that may arise in connection with it); sections or parts of broader agreements or cooperative schemes dealing with migration management. Some qualitative indexes are used as benchmarks by asking three questions framed from a rule of law perspective: are the texts (and their implementing practice) public and accessible? Do the texts concern irregular migration exclusively or do they also address other security risks? What authorities are involved in implementing the agreements (the police, the judiciary, the military)? As for ‘comprehensive’ approaches, an additional parameter are employed, by asking: Are the European actors involved able and willing to act coherently with recurrent policy statements advocating for a holistic or comprehensive approach to migration management? Some tentative conclusions are drawn taking stock of the limited outcomes so far produced by bilateral practice and highlighting both positive and worrisome aspects of recent developments (Migration Compact approach; EU/Turkey migration deal as a model for other cooperative frameworks).