The EU may not recognize Ukraine as a 'safe country' – how this will affect refugees
The European Commission proposes not to include Ukraine in the new list of "safe countries," writes Euractiv citing sources.
According to the document reviewed by the publication, the European Commission has appealed to the capitals of EU countries to support the activation of an exception that would allow Ukraine not to be recognized as a "safe country" within the new pan-European list.
Such status under normal circumstances implies accelerated procedures for asylum application review and simplified refusal mechanisms. At the same time, exceptions may apply to countries at war, even if they generally meet the criteria to be considered candidate or potentially safe countries.
The initiative is being considered amid discussions among EU governments about the future temporary protection regime for millions of Ukrainians residing in the European Union. Migration ministers plan to discuss this issue next week.
According to Euractiv, in March, the capitals of EU countries already began exploring the possibility of another extension of the temporary protection program, which grants Ukrainians the right to live and work in the EU, and which may now be extended for a sixth year.
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