Conference date: 28 May 2025 from 8.30 AM to 4.10 PM
Location: Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, Kase 61, Tallinn
Since the Russian full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, 6.3 million people have been forced to flee their homes. The Council of the European Union has extended temporary protection until March 2026, yet there remains a need to identify sustainable solutions to ensure stability and economic independence of the war refugees both in their host countries and, when possible, upon their return to Ukraine.
EMN Estonia invites you to the national conference Beyond Temporary: Building for the Future to explore the future of Ukrainian war refugees beyond temporary protection. This conference will bring together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to discuss strategies for policy transitions, address employment related integration challenges, share best practices, and examine the role of the diaspora in supporting long-term solutions.
Registration has ended.
The conference took place in person at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences (Kase 61, Tallinn). Working language of the conference was English, with simultaneous translation into Estonian.
Conference video:
Agenda
8:30 – 09:00 Registration and morning coffee
9:00 – 9:30 Opening of the conference and welcome remarks
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- Veiko Kommusaar, Deputy Director General, Estonian Police and Border Guard Board
- Annely Kolk, Ambassador of Estonia to Ukraine (online presentation)
09:30 – 10:40 Keynote and introductory speeches
A broader perspective, including migration prospects, impact of ongoing conflict dynamics in Ukraine on long-term planning, rights and responsibilities of war refugees, diaspora engagement, possible exit strategies
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- Keynote speech: From Temporary Protection to Durable Solutions: Envisioning the Future of Ukrainians in Europe, Dr Meltem Ineli Ciger – Associate Professor, Suleyman Demirel University Faculty of Law, Public International Law Department
- Elena Gobbetti, European Commission, DG Home Asylum Unit (online presentation)
10:40 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 13:00 Session I: Transition from temporary measures to long-term approaches
The first panel will focus on long-term plans and strategies for persons under temporary protection or similar protection statuses, following the end of these arrangements. What are the legal and policy options for BoTP to transition to more permanent residence statuses? Should there be an EU-wide approach to long-term solutions for BoTP, or should policies remain country-specific? How should policymakers balance the stability and initial integration of war refugees in host countries against the ethical and strategic considerations of return?
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- Options for phasing out temporary protection, Martin Wagner – Senior Policy Advisor Asylum, ICMPD
- Latest trends on displaced persons from Ukraine: Temporary protection and Surveys with Arriving Migrants from Ukraine, Marja Lahtinen, Asylum Processes Officer, EUAA Asylum and Reception Cooperation and Guidance Unit
- Czechia and the migration wave from Ukraine: Taking stock and planning for next steps, Jan Werner, Head of the Unit for EUAA Affairs, Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic
- Moldova’s Outlook After the End of Temporary Protection: Challenges and Scenarios for Next Steps, Elena Coliujco, representative of EMN Moldova and head of the Directorate for Integrated Border Management, Migration, and Asylum Policy at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA)
- Temporary Collective Protection in Norway – Experiences So Far And Challenges Ahead, Hege Laskemoen, Senior Adviser in the Legal Affairs unit in the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration
The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion.
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 16:00 Session II: Rebuilding lives following displacement: labour market integration and role of diasporas
The second session will focus on the successful integration of BoTP, including main challenges, lessons learned and good practices in the labour market integration as well as the role of the Ukrainian diaspora. What are the primary barriers to Ukrainian BoTP’s participation in the labour market? What role can the Ukrainian diaspora play in integration? Have the benefits provided to BoTP been proportionated?
The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion with the following participants: David Mosler, Ave Lauren, Aleksandra Jawornicka, Eugenija Kovaliova, Ulla Saar (Deputy Secretary General for Labour and Equality Policies, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Republic of Estonia)
16:00 – 16:10 Closing remarks: Barbara Orloff, EMN Estonia
The conference is moderated by Indrek Treufeldt
According to UNHCR, since Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, 6.3 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine. Ukraine has suffered massive human casualties and infrastructure destruction, and people have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety, protection, and assistance. As of 2024, over 55,000 people have received temporary protection in Estonia since the war began.
For the first time in the history of the European Union, the Council of the European Union decided on March 4, 2022, to implement the Temporary Protection Directive to protect people fleeing due to the war in Ukraine. 25. In June 2024, the Council adopted a decision to extend the validity of temporary protection until March 2026. Although temporary protection grants refugees access to the labor market, education, healthcare, and social services similar to local residents, the question arises of how to maintain and strengthen the refugees’ livelihoods after temporary protection ends. As the war has already lasted three years, it is important for host countries to start planning more permanent and long-term solutions in addition to temporary protection.
One key theme in finding long-term solutions is the successful integration of war refugees into the labor market. Although many people from Ukraine have found employment in host countries, several obstacles hinder their smooth integration into the labor market. The main challenges include language barriers, recognition of qualifications, and adaptation to local labor market conditions. Strengthening labor market integration helps promote not only economic independence but also broader social inclusion, facilitates better adaptation to the host society, and prepares individuals for the possibility of returning to Ukraine in the future. In addition to employment opportunities, access to education and continuous language learning are central from an integration perspective. It is important to ensure that both adults and children can develop their skills and participate fully in society to support self-sufficiency.
The opening session of the conference “From Temporary Protection to Long-Term Solutions” provides a comprehensive overview of the current situation of Ukrainian war refugees, briefly addresses topics related to Ukraine’s reconstruction, presents the EU’s vision for the future of war refugees, and examines the importance of engaging the Ukrainian diaspora in supporting long-term solutions. The first panel of the EMN Estonia conference focuses on long-term plans/strategies related to war refugees upon the expiration of temporary protection or similar statuses. The second part of the conference focuses on the challenges of labor integration and sharing best practices.