EMN inform: Responsibilities and access to rights for beneficiaries of temporary protection (external website) (2025)

Key findings to note

• Since 2022, the responding EMN Member and Observer Countries and non-EU OECD Countries have progressively adapted national policies and measures to provide access to employment, healthcare, education, social assistance, and access to (or the means to access) suitable accommodation to beneficiaries of temporary protection (BoTP) following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
• Financial benefits and allowances provided to BoTP vary widely, with some countries offering benefits equivalent to those for nationals and others applying reduced or conditional payments after a set period. Adjustments to benefit entitlements increasingly link support to active participation in work, education, or integration activities.
• Some countries have scaled back on the provision of some services, including state accommodation, healthcare, and social assistance to BoTP to balance public finances with ensuring access to rights. New initiatives often focus on strengthening labour market integration and social inclusion, particularly for BoTP who have partially or fully achieved self-reliance.
• Several EMN Member Countries have introduced or plan to introduce financial contributions from BoTP for services like accommodation and meals, typically only from those with sufficient income, while vulnerable groups are exempt. Most countries have set protective thresholds or transitional measures to safeguard low-income BoTP and prevent sudden loss of essential services.
• While broader national debates continue about creating long-term solutions, a minority of EMN Countries are facilitating the transition from temporary protection to alternative residence permits mainly for employed BoTP. Some countries have introduced simplified procedures or alternative residence pathways to retain economically integrated BoTP beyond the end of temporary protection.