The Union Resettlement Framework: A Strategic Asset, an Alternative to Asylum or an Expression of Humanitarian Values? At the Intersection of the EU’s Pragmatic and Humanitarian Commitments

Abstract

This study investigates the motivations behind the European Union's approach to third-country resettlement, particularly as established in the Union Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Framework (Regulation (EU) 2024/1340). It builds on existing literature to present a tripartite model of EU resettlement motivations: (1) using resettlement as a strategic asset in foreign policy, (2) positioning resettlement as an alternative to asylum, and (3) upholding humanitarian values. By examining the development and text of the framework, the analysis highlights how the European Union employs resettlement to bolster partnerships with third countries, curb irregular migration, and reinforce diplomatic leverage, while also reflecting internal European Union debates over humanitarianism and migration control. This complex interplay underscores the European Union’s strategic use of resettlement, even as humanitarian motivations are publicly emphasized. The framework ultimately reveals tensions between the EU’s pragmatic and humanitarian commitments, with implications for refugee policy and European integration.