The French EU Presidency's whistle-stop tour of European capitals in preparation for a restrictive immigration and integration policy has hit a major roadblock: Spain. As one of the EU Member States who has profited both from regular and illegal migration (the Spanish government has issued a number of amnesties for illegals over the years), Prime Minister Zapatero has rebuffed French plans for the creation of an integration contract obligation, which requires immigrants adjust to their recieving country's “national identity.”
Experts now expect a watered down version of the original proposal to be presented by the French Presidency. In absence of the Lisbon Reform Treaty, whose ratification as is now looks unlikely following the Irish referendum, immigration policy falls under the remit of member state governments assembled in the European Council, rather than the European Parliament. As has been the case for previous immigration proposals and those pretaining to the free movement of so-called 'third country nationals’ a ‘lowest common denominator’ solution with respect to immigration can be expected.
