From being an illegal immigrant to becoming an EU citizen : is the door too widely or to narrowly open, or what?

Abstract

A constant aim behind the concept of EU citizenship, and indeed the entire project of European integration, has always been to lower barriers and create a common space. If the complete elimination of national borders remains elusive, their importance has been diminished in striking ways by the development of EU citizenship and the prohibition of nationality-based discrimination. Barriers to free movement have been lowered in different ways and now most EU citizens enjoy residence and employment rights, as well as a host of other rights. The extension of these rights to the citizens of new Member Scates, and in particular to those new citizens created by the 2007 expansion was subject to a number of transitional arrangements. But these expire as well. By contrast, third country individuals, even though they may have been resident in the territory of EU for a very long time and may have even been born in an EU Member State, remain largely excluded from the benefits of EU citizenship. Various initiatives over the years have opened up limited rights for third country nationals. However, the difficulty of enacting these rights, and current moves co more restrictive immigration and naturalisation policies, highlight the continuing exclusivity of EU citizenship.