Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union activated the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time, providing millions of forcibly displaced Ukrainians with immediate access to residence, work, education, and essential services across EU Member States. With the Directive set to expire in March 2028, discussions are emerging over whether the current framework should continue to be extended, adapted, or replaced by alternative arrangements. This Just the Facts looks at the components of the Temporary Protection Directive, key aspects of its implementation, and future EU policy on support for Ukraine.
What is the Temporary Protection Directive?
The Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) is an EU law designed to provide immediate and temporary protection in the event of a significant increase in arrivals of forcibly displaced persons who are unable to return to their country of origin. The Directive is intended for situations in which a sudden large-scale displacement would place exceptional pressure on national asylum systems, making it difficult to process individual asylum claims through the ordinary procedures.
To activate a TPD, the European Commission must first submit a proposal, which is then adopted by the Council of the European Union. The Directive establishes the legal framework for triggering, extending, and ending temporary protection, while setting out minimum standards of protection for refugees who benefit from the mechanism. These include rights such as a residence permit, access to employment, accommodation, healthcare, education for children, and access to the asylum procedures. While the TPD establishes common minimum standards across the EU, Member States retain discretion over how these measures are implemented in practice. Temporary protection is granted by individual Member States, and some may choose to opt out of the Directive while providing comparable resources through national legislation, such as Denmark.
Although adopted into EU legislation in 2001, the TPD was triggered for the first time in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Following its most recent extension in July 2026, the current TPD is set to remain in force until March 2028.
EU Temporary Protection Directive and Ukraine
In the aftermath of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and serious attacks against civilians, millions of people were forced to flee Ukraine to EU countries and were unable to return to their homes. Due to the scale of estimated arrivals, the European Commission identified a clear risk that the asylum systems of Member States would be unable to process applications. The increased arrival of Ukrainian refugees, the Commission deemed, would negatively affect the efficiency of national asylum processes. Consequently, on 2 March 2022, the Commission proposed to activate the TPD. On 4 March 2022, the European Council unanimously adopted the Directive, giving those fleeing war in Ukraine the right to temporary protection.
The TPD applies to Ukrainian nationals residing in Ukraine on or before 24 February 2022, as well as beneficiaries of international or equivalent national protection in Ukraine and certain members of their families. EU Member States may also choose to extend temporary protection to other groups displaced by the conflict, including third-country nationals who were legally residing in Ukraine before the invasion and are unable to return safely to their country of origin. Since its activation, the Directive has provided protection to more than four million displaced individuals across the EU.
Given the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Commission proposed in June 2024 to extend temporary protection for individuals fleeing Ukraine for a further year, until March 2026, with the corresponding Council Decision adopted on 25 June 2024. This was subsequently extended again to March 2027. The mechanism has enabled eligible Ukrainians to live, work, study, and access healthcare and social assistance across EU Member States without first having to complete the standard asylum process.
On 26 June 2026, the European Commission proposed to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2028. The proposal was accepted on 15 July 2026, signifying the Council’s assessment that conditions in Ukraine do not yet permit the safe and durable return of displaced persons. At the same time, it acknowledges shifting political realities by introducing a more selective approach: temporary protection will be granted only to those complying with their military obligations in Ukraine. Consequently, the TPD will not cover new arrivals who are subject to Ukraine’s military service unless they possess official permission to leave Ukraine. This limitation will only apply to new applicants, not to those already benefiting from temporary protection in the EU.
Challenges and Public Response
While the Directive establishes a shared legal framework, implementation has varied between Member States, particularly in areas such as labour market integration, access to social services, and financial assistance. These discrepancies are perceived to reflect national administrative capacities, domestic political priorities, and the scale of arrivals received.
The distribution of beneficiaries across the EU has also remained uneven. At the end of May 2026, there were 9.7 beneficiaries of temporary protection per 1,000 inhabitants of the EU. Poland, Germany and Czechia continue to host the largest absolute numbers (nearly two-thirds) of Ukrainians under temporary protection. Compared with the end of March 2026, the number of people receiving temporary protection in April 2026 increased by 42,990 across the EU (+1%), indicating that forced displacement from Ukraine remains ongoing. Overall, however, temporary protection decisions have fallen since the first year of the war, with a decrease of 17% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter.
At the same time, political and public attitudes towards temporary protection appear to be changing in several Member States. More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, many governments are reporting signs of fatigue, characterised by growing public concerns over the fiscal costs of hosting refugees, pressures on housing and public services, and increasing domestic political resistance.
The application of the TPD in Ireland exemplifies evolving pressures. At the end of May 2026, Ireland reported 22.6 beneficiaries of temporary protection per 1,000 inhabitants, which, although above the EU average of 9.7, corresponds to just 2.7% of the total number of displaced Ukrainians under temporary protection in the EU. The number of new beneficiaries has been steadily decreasing each year, from just over 69,000 people in 2022 to about 11,000 in 2025. Following an expansive response to people displaced by the war in Ukraine, the Irish government has progressively adjusted its implementation of the TPD. Since 2024, financial supports have been reduced for newly arrived beneficiaries and access to State-provided accommodation has become more limited. In May 2026, the Irish government approved a roadmap allowing beneficiaries of temporary protection to apply for longer-term residence through existing immigration pathways. The measures set out in the roadmap, including phased withdrawal of state-contracted accommodation, an increase in the monthly Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP), and discussion of naturalisation processes for those residing under the current TPD, reflect a broader shift from emergency protection towards longer-term migration management.
Next Steps
The recent extension of the TPD until March 2028 provides continued legal protection for current beneficiaries while allowing additional time for Member States and EU institutions to consider longer-term arrangements. The Commission has called on Member States to begin preparing a coordinated transition away from temporary protection once conditions in Ukraine allow, including a need for Member States to develop longer-term legal and integration frameworks for Ukrainians who choose to remain in the EU. Ireland’s roadmap illustrates how Member States are increasingly seeking to balance continued protection for displaced Ukrainians with the practical and political challenges associated with prolonged displacement.
Regardless of the latest TPD extension, uncertainty remains regarding the future of protection for displaced Ukrainians in the EU. Several Member States have indicated that they are considering or developing national residence or protection schemes that could apply following the eventual expiry of the TPD. Developments in both Ukraine and decisions taken at the EU and national levels will help shape the future legal status of displaced Ukrainians in the EU in years to come.
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