(Brussels) The 27 unanimously agreed on Thursday to grant “temporary protection” in the EU to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, whether they are Ukrainian nationals or long-term residents in this country, a decision judged “historical” by Brussels.
Updated yesterday at 6:53 p.m.
European interior ministers decided to activate for the first time the 2001 directive on displaced persons, which will allow refugees from Ukraine to stay in the EU, work there, access aid social services and housing, the school system and medical care.
“We have already welcomed around 1 million refugees and we will see millions more. We need this legislation to give them adequate protection,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said after the ministerial meeting in Brussels.
In the process, the United States granted the Ukrainians present on their soil a status also called “temporary protection”, which prevents their expulsion and gives them the right to work for the next 18 months.
However, the measure does not concern those who are currently fleeing the fighting and its scope is therefore much more limited.
In Europe, “temporary protection” status, for a renewable period of one year, will be granted to Ukrainian nationals and their families, to those who already have refugee status and to nationals of other countries who are long-term residents. duration in Ukraine.
For the latter, each Member State will be able to apply the temporary protection decided at European level, or national legislation adopted specifically in the context of the Ukrainian crisis, as is already the case in several countries.
“Our unanimous decision reflects the full commitment of the EU in solidarity with the Ukrainian people in the face of this unjustifiable war”, commented French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, specifying that the agreement would be formally validated before publication on Friday for its Coming into force.
Refugees who have fled Ukraine since February 24 will be able to benefit from the new status. Until now, Ukrainian nationals could only stay 90 days without a visa in the EU.
“Moral Duty”
“This is not just an act of compassion in times of war: it is our moral duty as Europeans”, commented from Romania the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
Prior to the meeting, several countries, including Austria, Poland and Hungary, had expressed concerns about granting “temporary protection” to non-Ukrainian refugees.
But after an “impressive” intervention, by videoconference, by Ukrainian Interior Minister Denis Monastirski, “there was an agreement that foreign nationals with proof of residence in Ukraine should be treated like Ukrainian citizens”, explained German Minister Nancy Faeser.
According to her, the unanimous agreement of the 27, often very divided on migration policies, marks “a welcome paradigm shift”. However, no plan for the formal distribution of refugees between EU countries is on the table at this stage.
“We are not naive, welcoming millions of refugees will pose countless challenges for our societies. But we are now in a much better position to respond” than in previous migration crises, says Ms.me Johansson.
“Poor record”
There remains the case of foreigners residing in Ukraine, but not having a long-term residence permit (temporary workers, students, etc.).
“They are not covered by the temporary protection status, but we are working closely with the Ukrainians to welcome them to the EU, where we will offer them immediate protection and help them with housing, clothing and food,” said explained Ylva Johansson.
“We will liaise with the countries from which they come, to see how flights can be organized to bring them safely home,” she continued.
Operations are already underway, with planes chartered by India, Morocco or Tunisia to repatriate their refugee nationals in Poland or Romania, according to a European source, who recalls that the persons concerned can also file an asylum application. in the EU.
The Commission’s proposal “offers a new life to people fleeing danger” and “triggers an unprecedented mechanism of solidarity” between States, but comes after years of the EU’s “poor record” in terms of welcoming migrants, commented the NGO Oxfam.