European Commission proposes to prolong temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2026

The European Commission has proposed to prolong the temporary protection for people fleeing Russian aggression against Ukraine for another year, from 5 March 2025 to 4 March 2026.

As it was reported by the Commission's press service on Tuesday, safe and sustainable conditions for the return of citizens to Ukraine have not yet been created in view of the continuing Russian attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure across the country, so the Commission considers that the reasons for temporary protection remain and that it should be prolonged for another year.

The ultimate aim is to ensure that all those fleeing Russian aggression can find protection in the EU and that the nearly 4.2 million people already using temporary protection in the EU member states are provided with as much stability as possible in the current circumstances.

The Temporary Protection Directive grants Ukrainians the right to reside in the European states, and allows them access to the labour market, housing and social, medical and other assistance.

It also helps the member states to manage the arrival of migrants in an orderly and efficient manner.

The Commission will present the proposal to ministers at a meeting of the EU Council on Justice and Home Affairs on 13 June. The Council will then formally adopt the proposal.

The EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive on 4 March 2022 by a unanimous decision of the member states, and it was automatically extended for one year, and then the Council extended it for another year, until 4 March 2025.

Currently, almost 4.2 million people displaced from Ukraine are enjoying temporary protection in the EU, with the third of them being children.

On 10 June, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed an amendment to the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the ongoing war in the country, which extended the period of legal stay of Ukrainian citizens in Poland.

The draft amendments to the law were developed by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration of Poland and approved by the Polish Parliament in May.