Stronger Together: How the EU supports Ukrainians on the humanitarian front

Author: YEA Dariia Andriunina

In 2022, Europe faced an extraordinary migration and humanitarian crisis due to the full-scale military aggression of Russia against Ukraine. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of May 2023, over 8 million Ukrainian citizens have sought refuge in Europe. Almost 5 million are registered in various protection programmes. The largest number of Ukrainian citizens registered in the following countries: Poland (31.2%), Germany (18.4%), the Czech Republic (10.1%), Spain (3.5%), and Italy (3.4%).

The issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is no less pressing. As of March 2023, the total number of registered IDPs in Ukraine was almost 5 million, of which almost 3.5 million were registered after February 24, 2022. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the actual number of IDPs in Ukraine may reach 5.4 million.

The majority of IDPs face issues including, but not limited to, housing, employment, and social protection. According to the IOM Representation in Ukraine, at the end of 2022, over half of all IDPs (about 55%) were women, in every fourth IDP family there are people with disabilities, every fifth family has a child aged one to five years and almost 70% of IDPs struggle to find long term employment.

Throughout the crisis, the EU has demonstrated that it stands with Ukraine. Alongside military, political, and economic support, Ukraine has benefitted from unprecedented and comprehensive support to our citizens, emphasising once again the main European value: the individual and respect for his/her rights and dignity above all.

The EU, at the beginning of the migration crisis, activated the Directive on Temporary Protection (Directive 2001/55/EC of 20.07.2001) for the first time in history, and launched the EU Talent Pool pilot project, helping displaced Ukrainians find jobs in EU member states.

The Directive on Temporary Protection outlines the entitlements granted to individuals under temporary protection:

• a residency permit for the entire duration of the protection, ranging from one to three years.
• adequate information regarding temporary protection; assurances of access to the asylum procedure.
• access to employment, following regulations pertaining to the specific occupation and national labour market policies, as well as general employment conditions.
• access to suitable accommodation or housing.
• access to social welfare or means of sustenance when necessary.
• access to medical care.
• access to education within the state education system for individuals under 18 years of age.
• possibilities for family reunification under specific circumstances.
• access to banking services, including the ability to open a basic bank account.
• the option to relocate to another EU country prior to obtaining a residency permit.
• freedom to move within EU countries (excluding the Member State of residence) for up to 90 days within a 180-day period after receiving a residency permit in the host EU country.

The Directive also includes provisions regarding the repatriation of individuals after the conclusion of temporary protection. Furthermore, it stipulates that those individuals who have committed severe crimes or pose a security threat are ineligible for the benefits of temporary protection.

Special measures are outlined for unaccompanied minors and individuals who have suffered especially traumatic experiences, such as sexual assault, physical violence, or psychological abuse.

Thanks to the activation of this directive, Ukrainian citizens have obtained very broad rights in the EU, including in the field of employment, which allows our people to earn a living, support their families and relatives who remain in Ukraine, and donate to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Ukrainians are a hardworking nation, and it is essential that we can repay all the good that our European friends have done for us.

In this context, the EU Talent Pool is very important. The project affords participants the opportunity to prepare a CV and demonstrate academic and professional qualifications and experience to over 5,000 meticulously verified and registered employers, as well as the European employment services (EURES) Members and Partners. For now, the Member States participating in the EU Talent Pool Pilot are Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Spain.

The EURES portal currently offers an extensive range of 4 million employment opportunities, allowing employers to explore potential candidates by tapping into a comprehensive CV database. Furthermore, approximately 1,000 EURES Advisers, who are employed by various EURES Member and Partner organisations, are available to provide guidance at every stage of the recruitment process, including application and selection process, and even after employment has been secured.

Therefore, displaced Ukrainians fleeing the war not only receive assistance but also actively contribute to the society of their host countries. Ukrainians continue to open new businesses in Europe and participate in voluntary work. In particular, Ukrainians are currently exporting innovative business models to the EU, expanding their businesses and entering European markets. For example, Nova Poshta has been relatively successful in working in the European market, actively developing its network in Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Moldova. This is certainly not the only example. For example, in Poland alone, the number of Ukrainian businesses has grown to 25,000.

The extraordinary assistance provided by our partner countries, coupled with the measures taken by the Government of Ukraine to support citizens affected by Russian military aggression, means Ukrainian refugees are provided with all the most essential needs. However, it is also important to preserve them as part of Ukrainian society and to ensure their return when it is possible. This requires strong national security and stable economic growth, sustained reconstruction efforts, as well as further integration in to the EU. In the long-term, we must ensure favourable conditions for the development of Ukrainian business.

The EU also supports those who stayed behind in Ukraine. The provision of financial assistance ensures social infrastructure, supports small and medium-sized enterprises, funds reforms in healthcare and education, as well as facilitating solutions for socially vulnerable population groups, primarily IDPs.

Throughout the conflict, the EU, along with its Member States and financial institutions, has adopted a unified Team Europe approach to provide substantial support amounting to €37.8 billion. This assistance is aimed at bolstering Ukraine’s overall economic, social, and financial resilience. The support has been extended through various means, including macro-financial assistance, budget support, emergency aid, crisis response measures, and humanitarian assistance.

On 9 November 2022, the European Commission put forth a proposal to allocate €18 billion in financial aid to Ukraine for 2023. This assistance would be provided in the form of loans through a newly established instrument called MFA+. Subsequently, on 14 December 2022, the European Parliament and the Council approved the Regulation pertaining to the MFA+ instrument.

Negotiations regarding the conditions for the disbursement of this financial assistance took place between the Commission, representing the EU, and Ukraine, resulting in a successful outcome. On 16 January, both parties signed the Memorandum of Understanding and the Loan Facility Agreement, which became effective on the same day. As a result, the initial tranche of €3 billion in loans was disbursed on 17 January 17 2023.

Since 24 February 2022, the EU has sent over 89,000 tonnes of in-kind assistance with an estimated value of over €647 million. This was delivered to Ukraine from EU Member States and partners via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The assistance included medicines, food products, shelter items, as well as firefighting trucks and mobile hospitals to name but a few.

I would also like to mention the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes. Established on 12 May 2022 by EU Member States and the European Commission in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes serve as vital corridors for Ukraine’s agricultural exports and facilitate import and export. The Lanes have facilitated the export of approximately 32 million tonnes of agricultural commodities (such as grain, oilseeds, and related products) from Ukraine. This has generated much-needed revenue for Ukraine and ensured the continuity of its exports.

The EU is also providing substantial assistance amounting to €100 million to support the restoration of schools in Ukraine. This support comprises €66 million in budgetary aid and an additional €34 million from humanitarian funding. Within this framework, the European Commission has allocated approximately €14 million specifically for the procurement of school buses, ensuring the safe transportation of Ukrainian children to their educational institutions. Furthermore, the Commission has initiated an EU-wide solidarity campaign aimed at collecting donations of school buses for Ukraine. This will be coordinated through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Ukraine’s electricity grid has been synchronised with that of the EU, marking a significant milestone. The EU is committed to further supporting Ukraine in the energy sector, ensuring the availability of gas through reverse flows to the country. Moreover, Ukraine will have the opportunity to benefit from the EU’s collective procurement of gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and hydrogen.

To address immediate energy needs, the EU has provided an additional 2,500 generators, supplementing the 3,000 generators already delivered since the onset of the war. Responding to a request from the European Commission, approximately €194 million has been allocated to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, established by the Energy Community, to address urgent energy requirements. Additionally, the EU is supplying Ukraine with 35 million LED light bulbs, contributing to energy efficiency and sustainability efforts in the country.

The EU has provided unprecedented support to the Ukrainian people on the humanitarian, military, political, and economic levels. This support is more important than ever for us to know that we are not alone in our fight, and we are incredibly grateful to the EU, which stands firmly with us shoulder to shoulder on all fronts.

This support is helping Ukraine and ordinary Ukrainians to survive and prevail in the face of Russian aggression. But more than that, the EU is helping Ukraine to overcome, develop, and become further integrated into the European and global space, helping the society and the country to transform and grow at a time of unprecedented crisis.

Glory to Ukraine, glory to its Heroes, and respect to all who stand with Ukraine.