EU Member States agree to extend temporary protection for people fleeing Ukraine until March 2028
EU Member States have agreed to extend temporary protection for people fleeing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine until 4 March 2028. The decision also introduces new eligibility conditions for future applicants, linking access to temporary protection to compliance with military obligations under Ukrainian law. The new rules will apply only to new applicants and will not affect people already benefiting from temporary protection in the EU.
On 15 July 2026, the EU Member States agreed to extend temporary protection for people displaced from Ukraine by one additional year, until 4 March 2028. Introduced following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Temporary Protection Directive provides immediate protection and access to rights, including residence, employment, education, healthcare and social assistance, without the need to apply for asylum.
From 4 March 2027, temporary protection will be granted only to new applicants who can prove compliance with their military obligations. Applicants will be required to provide evidence, such as a passport bearing an official exit stamp or documentation confirming exemption from military service. Persons already benefiting from temporary protection in the European Union will not be affected by these new eligibility conditions.
The Council adopted Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912 on 30 July 2026, extending temporary protection for people displaced from Ukraine until 4 March 2028. The decision was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 4 August 2026.
For further information, please also read the press release from the Council of the European Union.
