Member states agree to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees

The member states decided shortly after the Russian invasion in 2022 to activate the directive on temporary protection. This meant that Ukrainian refugees did not have to go through the traditional asylum procedure and were granted immediate residency rights and access to housing, social assistance, healthcare, the labor market, and education. Today, about 4.3 million Ukrainians are enjoying temporary protection in the EU, with more than 93,000 people in Belgium.

The current regime, which has been extended several times, runs until March 4, 2026, and the European Commission had proposed to extend it for another year, until March 4, 2027. The ministers responsible for Interior Affairs and Migration unanimously gave the green light for this on Friday in Luxembourg.

Belgian Minister of Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA) said on Friday that Belgium supports the extension. “This provides stability for the Ukrainian displaced persons and for the countries that host them,” she said. “We want to engage in discussions with Ukraine and other member states about the future. As soon as it is safe, we must work towards a return that is characterized by hope and reconstruction.”