EU Council extends temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until 2025

Interior ministers of member states of the EU Council have agreed to extend the temporary protection mechanism for refugees from Ukraine for one year – from 4 March 2024 to 4 March 2025.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the EU Council press service

Details: "In order to provide certainty for more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees currently living in the EU, the Council agreed to extend the temporary protection for people fleeing from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine," the press service said.

Quote: "The EU will support the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes.  The prolongation of the protection status offers certainty to the more than 4 million refugees who have found a safe haven in the EU," said Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez, Spanish acting minister of the interior, whose country currently holds the EU Council presidency. 

After today's political agreement, the EU Council will have to officially decide on the extension of temporary protection. This will follow when the legal procedures and translation into all EU languages are complete.

The temporary protection mechanism was activated on 4 March 2022 and automatically extended for one year.

On 19 September, the European Commission suggested extending temporary protection for Ukrainians who fled from Russia's aggression.

The media reported that Poland had raised certain objections to the extension of temporary protection. Warsaw demanded an increase in EU funding for the maintenance of refugees. However, the continuation of the mechanism requires a unanimous vote, so it was impossible to veto the decision.

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