For several years now, EU resettlement and humanitarian admission schemes have offered a pathway to a new home and a life in dignity. At the Global Refugee Forum this week in Geneva, EU Member States announced their collective pledge for 2024 – 2025: 61,000 new places combined for resettlement and humanitarian admission for people in need of international protection. Of these, 31 000 are for resettlement, to be implemented in close cooperation with UNHCR, and 30 000 are for humanitarian admission.
During the Forum, Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson also reiterated the importance of EU contributing to meet global resettlement needs. The new pledges include also the EU's commitment to promote further complementary pathways to the EU and community sponsorship schemes, as well as to continue the funding for the Emergency Transit Mechanisms.
Offering safe and legal pathways to those in need of international protection also contributes to reducing irregular migration, by providing these people with durable solutions to build a new life in safety and dignity. Since 2015, more than 119,000 vulnerable refugees have found protection in Europe through the EU's resettlement schemes. Since 2021, Commissioner Johansson organised three High-level resettlement forums with Member States, international partners, civil society organisations, UNHCR and IOM, to encourage the Member States to contribute to this voluntary effort. In response to the Commission's call, Member States made these new pledges for resettlement and humanitarian admission in 2024-2025.
Next steps
Resettlement and humanitarian admission, as well as complementary pathways, are a priority for the Commission. Work will continue alongside Member States, and with international partners – such as the US, Canada, UK, and Australia - on the collective contribution to respond to global resettlement needs. The Commission put aside €480 million over 2023-2025 to underpin EU Member States' efforts in this regard. So far in 2023, the Commission has provided €246 million to Member States, in relation to persons admitted through resettlement and humanitarian admission over the last two years.
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) will also continue to expand the Resettlement Support Facility in Istanbul. EUAA will develop additional operational support structures for resettlement in other partner third countries, and promote information sharing and best practices on resettlement, humanitarian admission and complementary pathways to the EU.
Background
Resettlement is voluntary for Member States. On 10 May 2023, the Commission kicked off the new pledging exercise and invited Member States to make new pledges for resettlement and humanitarian admission in 2024-2025. The deadline for submitting voluntary pledges was 15 September.
Resettlement is a crucial humanitarian and protection tool, and a way to demonstrate global solidarity with non-EU countries hosting large numbers of refugees. Complementary pathways refer to alternative legal channels that provide safe and regulated opportunities for individuals in need of international protection to migrate, often through avenues like work, education, or family reunification programmes. The concept of complementary pathways is gaining traction to enhance legal migration options and address the needs of displaced populations. The Commission had also launched in January 2023 a call for proposals to fund actions on integration and complementary pathways, under the Asylum Migration Integration Fund. The proposals submitted are currently under evaluation.
