Return Migration in Central Europe: Current trends and an analysis of policies supporting returning migrants

After 1989 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has gone through important political, economic and social changes. The entry of many CEE countries to the European Union during the first decade of the 21st century enhances the European integration. Joining the EU accelerated economic growth of these countries and opened work migration flows, mainly from Central Europe to North-Western Europe. Economically motivated migration of in particular young and well educated people from the New Member States to high-income countries is currently dominating international migration flows in Europe thanks to the free right to work in any other EU Member State (DROBHLAV et al. 2009; MARTIN & RADU 2011). This process generates new challenges in territorial development. On the one hand, the ratio of foreigners dramatically increased in some of the core regions; on the other hand, regions affected by emigration faced serious demographic consequences. Migration, both extra-European and intra-European, has a significant impact on the demographic and labour force development of regions. Advanced regions normally benefit from migration, whereas poorer regions suffer from it. In addition to its impact on the labour market, migration reduces ageing in affluent regions and increases it in poor ones (ESPON 2010a). In this respect we can identify core regions and crisis regions of migration within Europe.