In a significant appeal to the European Union, more than 130 civil society organizations have called for a long-term approach to the protection of people displaced by the war in Ukraine. This comes as the EU Council decided on 13 June to extend temporary protection for these individuals until March 2026.
Temporary protection, as outlined in the EU Temporary Protection Directive, currently allows millions of displaced people to reside, work, study, and access healthcare and social protection within the EU. However, the reliance on one-year renewals, dependent on the EU Council’s decisions, leaves many in uncertainty about their future.
Laetitia Van der Vennet, Senior Advocacy Officer at the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants, emphasized the risks of not planning beyond temporary protection. “Failing to think about scenarios once temporary protection officially ends means that millions of people might fall through the cracks of bureaucracy and become undocumented. We need the EU to adopt a common permit that grants at least the same rights as temporary protection, lasts for at least two years, and gives people access to longer-term residence in the EU.”
The current system, with its focus on annual renewals, pays little attention to future scenarios where temporary protection might end, particularly if the majority of member states no longer support such extensions. The Temporary Protection Directive stipulates that once its regime concludes, displaced individuals must enter national asylum or migration procedures, posing significant risks. National administrations could be overwhelmed by a sudden influx of permit requests, and those under temporary protection might face months of uncertainty with fewer rights than currently provided.
Katharine Woolrych, Advocacy Specialist, HIAS Europe, said: “A one-year extension of the TPD is a welcome move to ensure displaced people have continued access to status and rights. In parallel however we urgently need EU leadership to avoid an uncoordinated transition out of temporary protection. Perpetual renewals of “temporary” protection simply kick the can down the road.”
Ganna Dudinska, Senior Policy Advisor, International Rescue Committee, said: “While we welcome the decision to extend the temporary protection regime for one year to offer some predictability to displaced people, it does not provide a longer-term solution. The policymakers at the EU and national level should use this momentum to develop and offer displaced people’s clear pathways to durability taking into consideration the specific needs of the most vulnerable individuals.”
The signatories of the joint statement urge the EU to propose timely, coordinated, and collective options for transitioning out of temporary protection. They advocate for a future-proof solution that would grant the same level of rights as temporary protection, last longer, and provide access to long-term residence permits.
For more information, the full joint statement by 140 civil society organizations can be read [here]
