Historic agreement

July 1, 2024

Historic agreement

type:
News

, Topic:
Ministry

, Date:
03 March 2022

EU home affairs ministers unanimously agree on fast and unbureaucratic admission of people fleeing the war in Ukraine

At today’s meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council in Brussels, European home affairs ministers unanimously agreed on a fast and simplified procedure for admitting displaced people from Ukraine to all EU member states.

During the preceding extraordinary JHA Council meeting last Sunday, all member states had already expressed their unity and readiness. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser, who before today’s meeting again called for solidarity and rapid help at EU level, said after the meeting:

“Putin’s inhumane and illegitimate war of aggression against Ukraine has caused tremendous suffering. In the light of this horrific event, Europe is closing ranks. We Europeans stand together to help children, women and men who seek refuge and protection from this terrible war.
Today the home affairs ministers of the European Union unanimously took a historic decision which until a few days ago hardly seemed possible. For the first time, all member states of the EU are jointly taking steps to quickly and unbureaucratically admit people fleeing the war. For the first time, we are applying the Directive which was adopted after the war in the Balkans for a situation like this.
People displaced from Ukraine are receiving temporary protection in the EU for at least one year with the possibility of extending this period to a total of three years. Third-country nationals with legal residence status in Ukraine also do not have to apply for asylum.
We are now working to implement this as quickly as possible. I have also been in close contact with the federal states on this today. In this way we are making sure that people fleeing the war in Ukraine have immediate access to medical care and to the labour market.”

Today’s decision also provides that people fleeing the war in Ukraine receive health care and social welfare assistance in the respective EU country admitting them. Unaccompanied children and teenagers are entitled to legal guardianship and access to education.

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