*[Enwl-eng] It was unanimous!
ENWL
Hi,
This is incredible – in less than 24 hours, 70,000 of us came together demanding protection for the people fleeing Ukraine. And our leaders heard us, as well as the thousands of people out on the streets of Europe.
Yesterday Europe’s interior ministers unanimously agreed to invoke a special law (the Temporary Protection Directive) for the first time in history. [1]
This means that Ukrainian citizens and non-EU citizens living in Ukraine who are unable to safely return to their country of origin will quickly get residence permits in EU countries. They will be able to work and have access to medical care. This is a monumental win for people on the move everywhere.
But, unless national governments decide otherwise, there are still some people who will be left behind – foreign students and temporary workers.
That’s because not all refugees are treated equally. And it’s why we need to make sure Europe protects ALL people fleeing war.
We also can’t forget – for now, this is a win on paper. But, what is key is how EU countries turn it into practice. We will be watching them closely to make sure it’s done properly.
In the meantime, you can still sign the petition to demand everyone is protected under this law:
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Thank you for adding your voice,
David (London), Aleksandra (Warsaw),
Giulio (Rome), Mika (Bordeaux) and the whole WeMove Europe team
References:
[1] https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/02/28/brussels-will-apply-a-never-used-eu-law-to-host-ukrainian-refugees-how-does-it-work
Here is our original email, sent on 2 March 2022:
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War in Europe. Millions displaced. Tomorrow, our EU interior ministers can decide if all those fleeing Russia’s invasion can come and move freely within the EU. The EU must support all refugees and do it fast. Every day counts for people waiting in shock and fear in the cold. |
Hi Vladimir,
Our hearts, minds and eyes are focused on Ukraine right now.
We received an enormous amount of messages from you asking ‘how can I help?’ Here is a way to make a real difference to hundreds of thousands of people uncertain about their future.
Tomorrow morning, EU interior ministers will decide on a common plan to support refugees arriving in Europe from Ukraine.
They could decide to activate a law never used before that will give asylum seekers the right to move freely in Europe, have the right to work and get access to accommodation and key services. [1]
Out of 27 ministers from our countries, we need 15 to vote in favour. It’s looking positive, we know there is a lot of support, but it’s far from a done deal.
With less than 22 hours to go before they meet, we will make sure they get the message. The petition is set so that after every 100 signatures, interior ministers across Europe will be sent an update - so the more people who sign, the more pressure we can pile on.
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More than 500,000 Ukrainians have fled their country since the Russian invasion started. [2]
It’s not only Ukrainian citizens who are queueing to leave, but also foreign students, and people who previously received asylum in Ukraine. Europe must protect everyone regardless of citizenship or skin colour.
This means not only agreeing to give people the right to live and work in Europe but also removing barriers to actual entry, like the need for a passport. Many people have never travelled abroad and do not own a passport. They must also make sure people of colour and foreigners in Ukraine are not treated differently. [3]
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Since day one, WeMove Europe has been working with partners to show governments that Europeans want to protect refugees and offer them a safe haven.
This is a massive crisis on our border and the actions our governments take today could pave the way for a more compassionate approach to helping all people on the move in the months and years ahead.
Thank you for joining the movement in these difficult times,
David
(London), Aleksandra (Warsaw), Giulio (Rome), Mika (Bordeaux) and the whole
WeMove Europe team
References:
[1] This law would be the Temporary Protection
Directive, which is an exceptional measure to provide immediate and temporary
protection to displaced persons from non-EU countries and those unable to return
to their country of origin.
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/policies/migration-and-asylum/common-european-asylum-system/temporary-protection_en
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-refugees-european-union-war-russia-temporary-protection-debate/
[2]
https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/02/1112872
[3]
https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/38831/ukraine-eastern-eu-states-accused-of-discriminating-against-nonukrainian-refugees
WeMove Europe is an independent and values-based organisation that seeks to build people power to transform Europe in the name of our community, future generations and the planet.
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