Brussels, Belgium, 1 March 2026 —  Four years since the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) was first put into action, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is calling for greater certainty on what will replace it after its expiration next year.

So far, more than 4.5 million people forced from their homes in Ukraine have benefited from this scheme, which allows them to live, work, study, and access healthcare and social support across the European Union. 

This Wednesday marks four years since the TPD was implemented, and it has since been extended until 4th March 2027. However, so far EU states have failed to put adequate preparations for its expiration, which risks leaving millions of people benefiting from the TPD scheme trapped in a state of limbo across Europe. 

While 98.4% are Ukrainian nationals, the TPD can also apply to others including their family members, refugees recognised in Ukraine, and people who have worked or studied in the country with temporary residence permits. 

At present, there are very few dedicated pathways for beneficiaries of the TPD to transition to other forms of legal status within the EU. The few pathways that do exist are legally complex, difficult to navigate, and only accessible to people who are already in employment. Other national residence permits — including those based on education, work, or family reunification — are, in practice, only available to a limited number of people because of strict rules or how the process is structured. As a result, most people benefiting from temporary protection are unlikely to be able to access these permits. 

With little accessible information about their possibilities, millions of people benefiting from the TPD face an information void. This leaves them unable to plan for their futures - with uncertainty stretching across all aspects of life including housing, education and employment.

At the same time, the war in Ukraine continues with no political resolution in sight. Today almost 13 million people inside the country require urgent assistance, including shelter, water and food, while more than 3.7 million people remain internally displaced. Heavy attacks on critical infrastructure have left whole villages and towns destroyed or severely damaged. In 2025 alone, there were more than 680,000 new decisions granting temporary protection.

Marta Welander, EU Advocacy Director at the IRC, says: 

“Unless the EU and its member states act now, millions of people forced from Ukraine will face a legal cliff edge next March - unable to return safely to Ukraine, and with limited options to remain in the European countries where they have been rebuilding their lives. One year will pass quickly, and this transition will not happen automatically. It’s vital that EU states act quickly and decisively to ensure that temporary protection evolves into long-term security and stability, and a real choice for all those whose lives have been upended by the war in Ukraine. A comprehensive transition is essential to ensure that nobody falls through the cracks - with a focus on those at particular risk, including non-Ukrainian nationals, elderly people, unaccompanied children, and people with disabilities, or hailing from temporarily occupied territories.”

The IRC is calling for the EU and its member states to:

  1. Ensure there is no protection gap, so that people already benefitting from the TPD have certainty about their futures without interruption, and that there are options for new arrivals to remain in the EU so long as the war and its consequences continue.
  2. Guarantee that transition pathways are inclusive and not limited to people who are economically active.
  3. Provide clear information so people benefiting from the TPD can plan ahead and avoid being pushed into uncertainty or returning to Ukraine prematurely.
  4. Engage with civil society organisations - especially refugee-led organisations and broader Ukrainian diaspora networks - when designing and implementing transition policies, and identifying protection and integration needs.