Support from European Union agencies for the management of refugees fleeing as a consequence of the Russian war in Ukraine

28.3.2022

Priority question for written answer  P-001252/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Fabienne Keller (Renew), Urmas Paet (Renew), Michal Šimečka (Renew), Nicolae Ştefănuță (Renew), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew), Karin Karlsbro (Renew), Sylvie Guillaume (S&D), Anna Júlia Donáth (Renew), Isabel Wiseler-Lima (PPE), Sylvie Brunet (Renew), Malik Azmani (Renew), Nora Mebarek (S&D), Nathalie Loiseau (Renew), Krzysztof Hetman (PPE), Frédérique Ries (Renew), Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (Renew), Tomas Tobé (PPE), Maite Pagazaurtundúa (Renew), Salima Yenbou (Renew)

About 3 million refugees have already entered the EU as a consequence of the Russian war in Ukraine. There are also millions of displaced persons within Ukraine and refugees continue arriving in the EU in large numbers. Despite their great efforts, national authorities at the EU’s main crossing points are often overwhelmed and understaffed. Many refugees, most of them women, children and vulnerable persons, are obliged to wait long hours, if not days, in the cold of winter before they can pass through the checkpoints.

At the same time, our EU agencies – the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), Frontex and Europol – have the mandate, as well as the human and technical resources to provide operational support to the Member States.

• 1.Can the Commission provide an update on agents deployed in each Member State or third country?
• 2.Does the Commission consider that the EUAA and Frontex should use their right of initiative[1] to support Member States under pressure? Is the Commission aware of any proposal for support from an EU agency being rejected?
• 3.Does the Commission believe that the EUAA should propose the deployment of the ‘asylum reserve pool’ of 500 experts[2], for example to support the swift implementation of temporary protection?

Supporters[3]

• [1] Article 16 of the Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 (EUAA) and articles 48, 50, 52, 53 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 (Frontex).
• [2] Article 19(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 (EUAA).
• [3] This question is supported by Members other than the authors: Olivier Chastel (Renew), Sophia in 't Veld (Renew), Irène Tolleret (Renew), Dominique Riquet (Renew), Vlad Gheorghe (Renew), Stéphane Bijoux (Renew)