Uncertainty is growing in the European Union about the future of temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine. The directive, which has been in effect since March 2022 as an emergency solution for people fleeing the war, is approaching its time limits, and Brussels is already preparing for new scenarios, Express reports.
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The European Commission is considering extending the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) for another year — until March 2027. However, there are more and more voices calling for the temporary protection regime to be withdrawn or significantly transformed. According to diplomats, this issue may be discussed at a high-level meeting of the Home Affairs Council on 12-13 June.
The current legislation provides for only three years of protection, so the latest extension has already sparked legal discussions. Experts point out that it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the regime unchanged, and the EU should develop an exit strategy for both those Ukrainians who plan to stay and those who return home.
Possible options include a gradual phase-out of the directive, exclusion of those who have returned to Ukraine, or restrictions on new arrivals. There are also proposals to create new legal instruments, such as a special long-term residence permit for Ukrainians, which could be valid for up to 10 years. But so far, these ideas remain only at the level of discussion.
Without a well-thought-out exit plan, Europe risks overburdening national asylum systems — exactly what the TPD initiators were trying to avoid. A final decision is expected in the coming weeks.
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