Durable Protection in the European Union: The Case of Persons Fleeing Armed Conflicts

Using the case of persons fleeing armed conflicts, the present article examines the required pre-condition for local integration in the European Union (EU), namely the grant of durable protection. We define durable protection as a form of long-lasting and secure legal status, which entitles its holders to relevant rights and entitlements capable of leading to local integration. The article uses three case studies, namely Ukraine, Sudan and Syria, to evaluate the durability of the EU and its Member States’ responses to international displacement caused by armed conflicts. The article demonstrates how state practice works to shorten deadlines, thereby reducing attachment to the host country. The article criticises the temporal limitation of temporary protection in the absence of long-term durable solutions and the complex legal regime of international protection that may arise as a result. The article concludes that the last decade of refugee protection in the EU, which has been characterised by large influxes of persons fleeing from conflicts in countries such as Syria, Ukraine and Sudan, indicates a tendency for the EU and EU Member States to provide only short-term solutions to displacement. Reduced durability contributes to the weakening of refugee protection in the EU.