Brussels, Belgium, 4 March 2025 – Today marks three years since the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which provided a safe pathway to protection for millions[1] of people fleeing the war in Ukraine. It was a powerful demonstration of the EU’s unity and solidarity in the face of a humanitarian crisis, and proved to be an effective emergency mechanism for responding to large arrivals of people in a humane and orderly way. It alleviated pressure on national asylum systems and provided displaced people with immediate and collective protection, including the right to reside, work, study, and access health care and social support in the EU.

The temporary protection regime is due to expire in March 2026, just one year away. Of the many challenges faced by people displaced from Ukraine, uncertainty about their legal status in the EU is among the most pressing. This lack of clarity impacts nearly every aspect of life: from securing stable employment and arranging long-term housing, to planning children’s education. Predictability is necessary for people to rebuild their lives with dignity and stability. It is promising to see that post-TPD solutions are a priority for the Commission and the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Three years on, it is essential that the EU’s response to the needs of people displaced from Ukraine shifts from emergency measures to longer-term strategies and solutions.

We are calling on the EU to go beyond repeatedly renewing temporary protection and propose a coordinated and collective solution that would offer a more durable status and pathway to long-term residence. An EU-wide approach with strong EU leadership and coordination is vital to prevent a fragmented approach and people falling into irregularity, with vulnerable groups being disproportionately affected.

Post-TPD solutions are long overdue. A collective of more than 130 civil society organisations welcomed the EU’s previous extension of the temporary protection regime through to March 2026 to provide time for policymakers to define durable solutions while ensuring short-term stability for displaced people. However, unless work starts now to make tangible progress in implementing a coordinated transition out of temporary protection, another one-year extension may be the only option.

Another one-year extension of the temporary protection regime beyond March 2026 must be considered as an exceptional and interim measure to ensure the continuation of protection and to prevent displaced individuals from becoming undocumented, or falling into uncertainty and losing their jobs, education, housing, or healthcare. If this interim arrangement is necessary, we urge the European Commission to propose as soon as possible a Council Implementation Decision extending the TPD until March 2027, while offering clarity on the future protection and residence status of people displaced from Ukraine.

Despite recent diplomatic discussions on the potential for renewed peace talks, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine remains dire. There are daily reports of shelling and airstrikes, even in cities and villages hundreds of kilometers from the frontline. Should the ceasefire be achieved any time soon, the damage to Ukraine’s critical and civilian infrastructure and widespread contamination from explosive ordnance will take years to repair, restore, and clear before the situation permits safe, truly voluntary, and durable returns. In this context, it is worrying to see that some host countries have begun or are considering scaling back their support to people displaced from Ukraine – for example, by limiting the duration of government-sponsored housing support, or by restricting its scope to people who come from specific regions in Ukraine.

We call on Member States not to roll back support to people displaced from Ukraine, and to fully implement the provisions enshrined in the TPD. This includes ensuring full access to the rights and basic services it guarantees. It is essential that Member States respect their obligations regarding non-refoulement and avoid any measures that could directly or indirectly result in premature returns, jeopardising the safety and well-being of those in need.

Read the full statement below.

[1] According to the European Commission, as of December 2024, slightly more than 4.3 million non-EU citizens, who fled Ukraine as a consequence of the war were under temporary protection in the EU.