The EU Temporary Protection Directive enables EU Member States to move rapidly to offer protection and rights to people in need of immediate protection and to avoid overwhelming national asylum systems in cases of mass arrivals of displaced persons. Although invoked several times in the past, the directive has never been activated before. Russia's military aggression prompted a unanimous decision in the Council to grant temporary protection (for an initial period of one year) to people fleeing the war in Ukraine. This temporary protection may be extended automatically by two six-monthly periods, for a maximum of another year. The EU's decision to grant temporary protection has been widely welcomed and the directive is considered the most appropriate instrument under the current exceptional circumstances. There are, however, still many open questions as to its practical implementation in the EU Member States.

EPRS policy podcast - Temporary protection directive

The European Parliament in April 2024 adopted ten legislative texts to reform European migration and asylum policy as agreed with EU member states. Five separate EU regulations, establishe&nbsp;how to share the management of asylum and migration flows among member states and what to do in cases of sudden migratory crisis.

The rules also regulate how to deal with people arriving at the EU’s external borders, the processing of asylum claims, and the identification of those arriving.

Following the deal in trilogue in December 2023 ,&nbsp;EP President Roberta Metsola&nbsp;said: “”Today is a truly historic day, as we have delivered on the Migration and Asylum Pact, possibly the most important legislative package of this mandate. Europe will now get a robust legislative framework that is the same in all Member States. That functions and that protects, an approach that is humane and fair with those seeking protection, that is firm with those who are not eligible, and that is strong with those who exploit the most vulnerable &nbsp;

Refugee movements and migration are at the centre of global attention.&nbsp; The European Parliament is actively involved, in the adoption of new laws on irregular and regular immigration. It is a full co-legislator together with the Council representing member states on these matters since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.

Migration

Europe is faced with a significant influx of migrants: hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from war and poverty are travelling to Europe in search of safety and a better life. 

The increase in migration to Europe requires a response from the EU on a number of levels. Firstly, policies to handle regular and irregular immigration, and secondly, common EU-wide rules on asylum. The migrant crisis of late has also resulted in a need for additional measures and reforms to ensure border security as well as a fairer distribution of asylum seekers among EU countries.

Migration - 8th Parliamentary term

The number of international migrants worldwide has continued to grow rapidly in recent years, reaching 258 million in 2017, up from 220 million in 2010 and 173 million in 2000.

Refugee movements and migration are at the centre of global attention. In recent years, Europe has had to respond to the most severe migratory challenge since the end of the Second World War. The unprecedented arrival of refugees and irregular migrants in the EU, which peaked in 2015, exposed a series of deficiencies and gaps in EU policies on asylum, external borders and migration.

Migration (2020)

MEPs discuss and vote on Wednesday on ten new bills updating the EU asylum and migration rules, emphasising cooperation and mandatory but flexible solidarity. 

Plenary wraps up this term’s legislative work in the field of migration and asylum with a debate with the Belgian Council Presidency and the Commission on the outcome of negotiations over the Migration and Asylum Pact. The already agreed texts aim to improve cooperation among European states and enhance the EU’s response in case of crises. 

The Pact encompasses a new framework for a comprehensive asylum and migration policy based on solidarity, fair responsibility sharing, and updated rules on criteria and mechanisms to determine the member state responsible for examining an application for international protection (formerly known as the Dublin rules). Member states will be able to choose between relocating asylum applicants to their territory, making financial contributions or providing operational and technical support to member states under migratory pressure. 

There will be specific rules for crisis situations, and the rules on reception standards for asylum applicants will be updated. The amended qualification rules will set uniform standards across the EU to recognise people applying for international protection, as well as their rights. There will be a faster common procedure –including provisions on inadmissible claims and more expedited returns- across the EU to grant and to withdraw international protection, following an initial pre-entry screening and registration of fingerprints and facial images in a common database (Eurodac). Finally, a new EU framework for resettlement will regulate the opportunities for refugees in third countries to come to the EU, based on member states’ voluntary participation

Plenary debate - EU migration and asylum rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Discover key figures about the repatriation of migrants and proposed changes to EU law.
The EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum includes new rules and the revision of existing legislation, such as the Return Directive.
In a draft resolution on the Return Directive adopted in December 2020, MEPs stressed the importance of protecting individual fundamental rights as well as respect for procedural safeguards.

Repatriation: how many migrants in the EU are sent back?

Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Alexander DE CROO, Belgian Prime Minister and Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission following the votes on the EU Migration and Asylum Pact

Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR, Tomas TOBÉ and Fabienne KELLER, Rapporteurs on the outcome of the migration trilogue

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Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules

Press point following the votes on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules