1. On World Refugee Day, the EU and its Member States commemorate the strength and resilience of refugees, and forcibly displaced people who have left their homes due to conflict, violence, persecution or human rights violations. We also pay tribute to the humanitarian workers who often risk their lives to operate in remote and insecure environments, and acknowledge the vital work of international organisations providing valuable assistance to those on the move, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
2. We recall that this year’s World Refugee Day comes at a time when a record of more than 122 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide.
3. We reiterate the EU’s commitment to uphold refugees’ rights, in line with EU and international law, including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the 1951 Refugee Convention on the right to seek and enjoy asylum and the principle of non refoulement. In this regard, we recall the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which strengthens the EU framework for migration and asylum through work on the external dimension of migration, the pursuit of comprehensive partnerships with partner countries, as well as facilitating the identification of statelessness.
4. The EU and its Member States support millions of refugees and people forced to flee their homes. From those having fled the conflict in Syria, to hosting almost 4,3 million people from Ukraine under Temporary Protection due to Russia’s war of aggression that has caused the displacement of 10.6 million Ukrainians inside and outside Ukraine according to UNHCR - the largest forced migration in Europe since the end of World War II. Beyond the immediate support provided, we have also taken further steps to ensure that people from Ukraine fleeing the war can effectively access their right to education, healthcare, accommodation and work. The recent extension of the Temporary Protection Directive for another year, until March 2027, is a clear sign of our steadfast commitment.
5. The EU and its Member States condemn any attempts by third countries to instrumentalise people on the move, including migrants, for political motives, while expressing concern that such attempts often entail serious human rights violations.
6. We reaffirm the EU’s commitment to be a leading global donor, supporting refugees worldwide and responding to crises such as those in Sudan and the Middle East. In this regard, we recall that the EU’s humanitarian and development efforts focus on safeguarding refugee rights, ensuring access to essential services, and offering durable solutions, including assisted voluntary return, local integration and resettlement.
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino and Ukraine align themselves with this statement