EU countries have agreed to extend temporary protection for people fleeing Ukraine until 4 March 2028.
The decision prolongs an EU-wide emergency scheme that gives displaced people the right to live in an EU member state and access services such as work, housing, healthcare, welfare support and schooling for children, the Council of the EU announced on Wednesday.
EU countries also agreed that, in future, temporary protection will be granted only to new applicants who can show they are complying with their military obligations in Ukraine.
The restriction will not apply to people already benefiting from temporary protection in the EU.
Applicants would need to provide proof of compliance, such as a passport with a Ukrainian exit stamp showing they left the country legally or documentation — on paper or electronically — confirming an exemption or compliance.
How many people are covered?
More than 4 million displaced people from Ukraine have benefited from temporary protection in the EU since March 2022, the Council said.
As of 31 May 2026, 4.38 million people who fled Ukraine were under temporary protection in the EU.
Jim O’Callaghan, Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, said the extension would provide “stability” for those who found safety in the EU and said the scheme would “respect Ukraine’s legitimate needs.”
The Council stated it will formally adopt the extension decision in the coming weeks, after which it will be published in the EU Official Journal and enter into force the following day.
