Latest update 10 March 2022 at 02:00 am
EU Ministers today unanimously agreed on the establishment of a temporary protection mechanism in response to the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine.
Ministers agreed to activate Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001 on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons and on measures promoting a balance of efforts between Member States in receiving such persons and bearing the consequences thereof.
This will enable the EU member states to offer people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine an appropriate response for their situation. Eligible persons will be granted a protected status similar to that of refugees, in any EU country, for a renewable period of one year.
They will be provided with a secure status and access to schools, medical care and work. At the same time, the European Union is working to facilitate efficient crossings at the borders for people and their pets, with the necessary security checks.
Once officially approved this decission and published on the EU oficial journal it will become effective inmediately.
This is an historic agreement, taken in record time and by an historic unanimity, underscored the representatives of the EU Council, the Commission and the French Presidency of the Council at the press conference held after the meeting this afternoon.
Who is elligible to get this protection and documents needed
They are elligible to get this protection Ylva Johansson (Commissioner for Home Affairs) explaines: all Ukrainian nationals that are fleeing from the war and all foreigners in the same case that can prove the have been living in Ukraine for a long time, said Johansson.
They are not elligible foreign students. The EU is helping them crossing the border and once safe they are proovided for assistance and an opportunity to return to their countries.
The documents needed to become covered by the temporary protection are a biometric passport, and for the people who do not have one, France, for example is granting temporay documents for those Ukranians just presenting their national identity card.
Children, as they do not have any of this documents, will be protected anyway, underscored Commissioner Johansson.
The United Kingdom has also changed its regulations on inmigration to facilitate ukrainians fleeing from the war enter and stay in his country.
One million people in just the first week and up to 8 March over two million
Following UNHCR data, up to 8 March 2022, over 2 million refugees have fled from Ukraine in just 12 days, mainly into five neighbouring countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova). Over a half of them are fleeing to Poland alone.
In just the first seven days of this war, one million people had left Ukraine fleeing from Putin’s war.
Up to 4 March 2022 around 1.200 million ukranians had left their country. At a pace of about 6,000 Ukrainians cross the countrie’s borders fleeing from war each hour.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi warns that there are many more displaced inside the same country and that this conflict additional millions of people will be forced to leave their homes.
The largest numbers of ukrainian nationals leaving their country headed west into Poland, with others making for Hungary, Moldova, Romania and beyond.
The UN estimates that 12 million people inside Ukraine will need relief and protection, while more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees may need protection and assistance in neighbouring countries in the coming months. Thats why on 1st March launched coordinated emergency appeals for a combined $1.7 Bn financing to urgently deliver humanitarian support to people in Ukraine and refugees in neighbouring countries.
“International solidarity has been heartwarming, but nothing, nothing can replace the need for the guns to be silenced. For dialogue and diplomacy to succeed. Peace is the only way to hold this tragedy”, Grandi said.
The Russian proposal of defining some green corridors into Russia and Belarus, shows an actual hunger by Putin’s Government of stopping the flee of Ukrainians to the EU and other western democracies, grabbing not only Ukraine’s territory but also the Ukrainian population (click on the links below to have more information on this matter).
Image over the headline.- Poles offer a warm welcome to Ukrainians forced to flee across the border. People fleeing Ukraine enter Poland at the Medyka border crossing. Besides the efforts of national authorities and humanitarian agencies, Polish citizens and local organizations have come out in force to support the new arrivals. UNHRCR photo. Photographer: Chris Melzer
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