Separation of Powers in EU External Migration Policy: Assessing the Scrutiny Role of the European Parliament in Informal Readmission Arrangements

In the external dimension of European Union (EU) migration policy, researchers have observed an increasing reliance on non-binding readmission arrangements. The European Parliament is sidelined in both the creation and monitoring of such arrangements. Its powers of scrutiny and legislation are severely curtailed in a policy area where EU treaties require its consent for formal agreements. Against this backdrop, we aim to assess whether the Parliament has still been capable of de facto scrutinizing and influencing the Union’s readmission policy, and through which actions. We draw on a qualitative analysis of a data set of Parliamentary policy and legislative documents (2014-2021). Our analysis shows that while the Parliament tries to engage on the issue of readmission arrangements by using a variety of actions and tools, its role in influencing the direction of the EU’s readmission policy remains marginal. With this paper, we aim to contribute to the literature assessing the role of the European Parliament in EU policy-making highlighting how the EP adapts and respond to the (informal) evolution of specific policy fields as spurred by other EU actors, while at the same time questioning the assumption that the EP has steadily gained influence and powers vis-à-vis other EU institutions.