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Ukraine: Council adopts negotiating mandate to unlock additional support under the home affairs funds
EU ambassadors recently (16 March 2022) agreed the Council’s negotiating mandate on a proposal to amend the 2014-2020 home affairs funds and 2021-2027 asylum, migration and integration fund. This amendment, put forward through a fast-track process, will provide extra resources for the reception of persons fleeing the war in Ukraine.
The proposed text will extend by one year the implementation period of the 2014-2020 home affairs funds and unlock access to unspent amounts in the asylum and migration fund which had previously been earmarked for other purposes. This will enable member states to urgently use the remaining funds to help address the mass influx of persons fleeing the war and is expected to release around €420 million in additional support from unused funds.
The text also provides member states and other public or private donors with the possibility to make additional financial contributions under the 2021-2027 fund as external assigned revenue. This external assigned revenue will allow to finance asylum and migration activities in member states during crises, including those arising from the invasion of Ukraine.
Background
On 24 February 2022, Russian armed forces launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. As a result, substantial areas of Ukrainian territory now constitute areas of armed conflict from which thousands of persons are fleeing. On that same day, the European Council condemned Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms and demanded Russia’s full respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.
The EU has shown, and will continue to show, its resolute support for Ukraine and its citizens. On 4 March the Council unanimously adopted an implementing decision introducing temporary protection for persons fleeing the war. On 8 March the Commission presented, among other measures, a proposal to amend the home affairs funds to unlock extra resources for member states to ensure adequate reception facilities and effective procedures.
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