The Dutch cabinet must provide greater clarity on the future perspectives for Ukrainian refugees currently staying in the country, notably regarding their residency status and return home, the Advisory Council on Migration (ARM) wrote in a report published on Wednesday.

The Netherlands has taken in roughly 95,000 Ukrainian refugees protected under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which is to apply until March 2025. However, municipalities and refugees have previously expressed concerns about their perspectives on the future and living conditions.

“As the war drags on, the temporary nature of the [Temporary Protection] directive and facilities is beginning to bite,” the report reads.

“This temporary arrangement has a price: for people themselves, but also for our society. What perspective does the Netherlands want to offer Ukrainians?” it asks.

The report demands that the residency status of Ukrainian refugees and their return home, be discussed and streamlined at the EU level to prevent secondary migration within the EU. It also proposes granting Ukrainians temporary or non-temporary residency permits, including corresponding permits for students and highly skilled migrants.

The report also calls for displaced persons, asylum seekers, and status holders to be treated more equally, with the ARM stating that asylum seekers should be granted work permits earlier, as Ukrainians are allowed to work under the TPD.

The necessity of adequate housing solutions is also mentioned, with the ARM demanding more temporary housing for differing social groups, including displaced persons, asylum seekers and recently divorced individuals.

“We recommend that the government learn from these issues to arrive at a vision for the stay of temporary migrants in the future,” the report also states.

Finding adequate solutions to these problems may prove difficult for the cabinet, as the Netherlands are currently mired in both a severe migrant and housing crisis, with Dutch Housing Minister Hugo de Jonge (CDA/EPP) stating that the large refugee numbers could lead to the country not meeting its housing construction goals.

Crisis at home, decisiveness abroad

While Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands are still waiting for a future perspective, the cabinet announced on Tuesday that their home country would receive additional financial help in its war effort through a support package totalling €118 million.

The financial aid is set to support the reconstruction of Ukrainian infrastructure, the supply of medicaments and deliver emergency aid in the wake of the Kakhovka dam breach.

Additionally, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister Liesje Schreinemacher (VVD/Renew) also appointed Roderick van Schreven, a long-time diplomat, as the new Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.

“The cabinet has appointed Roderick van Schreven as Ukraine envoy. A top diplomat with the right experience and contacts in the Dutch and international business community, with whom he can advise and support Dutch companies that want to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine,” Schreinemacher tweeted.

Back in April, the previous Ukraine envoy Ron van Dartel stepped down from the position due to the surfacing of controversial remarks he had made regarding Ukraine and Russia, including that they are the same people.

(Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com)

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