Öz The establishment of an immigration control system is closely connected with the realisation offree move ınent of persons. As freedom of movement of persons is designed for the citizens of the EU, there is presently no right of free settlement for the Third Country Nationals legally residing in one of the Member States. Immigration law is a highly politicised area of law and policy in all the Member States, being subject to constant change and amendment. With the current structure, the EU will not be capable to deal with the present and future developments in the field of immigration. It is clear that here is a need for regulation that goes further then regulation on the national level. In principle supranational cooperation in this area is very necessary. Immigration is a long-standing phenomenon, which must be understood with reference to its structural clauses and its global character. Intergovernmental cooperation where the emphasis is laid by the sovereignty of the Member States seems not sufficient to solve the problem of the growth of immigration issues. This paper will focus on the development of the European Community's competence in immigration law. It will analyze whether immigration law is becoming supranational and to what extent and in what way immigration policies are affected by European integration.