During the Informal Justice and Home Affairs Council under the Belgian Presidency, EU Home Affairs Ministers focused on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. After the political agreement that was reached on 20 December 2023, the priority is now to finalise technical discussions on the Pact’s texts and to reach a formal agreement. Then concrete steps will be taken to operationalise the Pact and implement the changes agreed upon. In this regard, a Ministerial Conference will be organised from 28 to 30 April 2024 specifically in order to put this operationalisation of the Pact on track. 

EU Home Affairs Ministers also discussed the future of Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection in Europe. As EU Ministers agreed to extend temporary protection until 4 March 2025 but the war is far from over, policymakers have to envisage different scenarios for what happens next. Ministers agreed with the Presidency that adopting 27 different national legislations on this topic would be counterproductive, result in secondary movements, and cause uncertainty. They recalled their commitment to Ukraine and its citizens and stressed the need for European harmonization in this field. The Commission and the Member States will continue this discussion, including with the Ukrainian authorities, in order to jointly take a decision in the nearby future.

For further information, please read the press release of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.