The European Commission has proposed changing the rules on temporary protection for Ukrainians in EU countries: newly arrived men liable for military service who do not have permission from the Ukrainian authorities to leave the country will no longer be able to receive temporary protection.
This is announced by Reuters, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
At the same time, the European Commission is proposing to extend the Temporary Protection Directive until March 2028.
The changes will not apply to Ukrainians who are already under temporary protection in EU countries. They only apply to those liable for military service who arrive in the EU after the new rules come into force and do not have official permission from Ukraine to leave.
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner said that such a decision should balance the need to protect Ukrainians with Ukraine's need to maintain its own defense capabilities.
According to him, it was the Ukrainian authorities who asked the European Union to provide for such an exception.
Currently, temporary protection in EU countries is enjoyed by more than 4.33 million Ukrainians who left after the start of russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
The Temporary Protection Directive, which the EU introduced after russia's full-scale invasion, was supposed to be in effect until March 2027. It guarantees Ukrainians the right to residence, employment, medical care, and social support in EU countries.
The European Commission's proposal will enter into force only after approval by the EU member states.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on June 1, the European news portal Euractiv wrote, citing sources, that the European Union is discussing a narrowing of the temporary protection program for Ukrainian men of military age.
At the same time, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, urged European countries not to rush to roll back temporary protection and support programs for Ukrainians who were forced to leave for the EU due to a full-scale war.
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