European responses to 2022 forced migration from Ukraine

Restrictive, liberal, selective, or universal? This CMR Webinar examines European responses to post-2022 forced migration from Ukraine.

Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine led to the most extensive forced displacement in Europe since World War II. The European response was initially portrayed as ‘unified’ and ‘liberal’, exemplified by the EU’s activation of the Temporary Protection Directive. Yet how accurate is this narrative, and how have responses developed over time?

In this webinar promoting the newly published Special Issue of the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, we present the novel Restrictive, Liberal, Selective or Universal migration and integration policy framework (the ReLiSU framework), and findings from European countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. 

We challenge the narrative of a unified and liberal European response to the arrival of forced migrants from Ukraine. Asylum, reception, settlement, and integration policies for this group are divergent, both within and across countries, including intra-group selectivity. While Ukrainians generally received more liberal access to protection than other protection seekers, many countries imposed more restrictive integration rights or curbed permanent residency pathways. Over time, some countries’ policies shifted from the initial ‘open arms’ to more restrictive paths. Policy development for this group aligns with ongoing trends of temporality and increased selectivity in European migration policy, often based on factors such as human capital, race, gender, or geopolitical context.

In the webinar, we will host the following excellent speakers and authors of articles published in this JEMS SI:

1. Vilde Hernes and Karolina Łukasiewicz, presenting their introductory article: Restrictive, liberal, selective or universal? A cross-national analysis of European countries’ policy response to forced migrants from Ukraine
2. Åsne Danielsen and Vilde Hernes discussing Norway, Denmark, and Sweden’s responses: Turning Scandinavian integration policies upside down? A comparative analysis of the Scandinavian governments’ responses to the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine
3. Laura Casu, Mette Louise Berg, and Silke Zschomler discussing the UK’s response: Privatised asylum: The UK’s response to protection seekers fleeing Ukraine
4. Magdalena Nowicka, Marcus Engler, and Nora Ratzmann presenting Germany’s response: Implementing the Temporary Protection Directive in Germany: de jure liberal, de facto selective? 
5. Saara Koikkalainen, Oksana Shmulyar Gréen,  Joni Virkkunen, Md Azmeary Ferdoush, and Svitlana Odynets discussing Finland’s and Sweden’s responses: Unpacking the temporary protection of displaced people from Ukraine within the tightening migration governance in Sweden and Finland
6. Karolina Łukasiewicz, Andrei Yeliseyeu, and Marta Pachocka discussing Poland’s response: Selective restrictions and liberalisations. Unpacking Poland's Response to Forced Migration in the post-2022 context.
7. Tatjana Boczy, Yvonne Franz and Yuri Kazepov discussing Austria: From crisis to contradiction: Explaining Selective solidarity and asylum governance in Austria after 2015

This webinar is co-organised by The Laboratory of Urban and Regional Migration Policies at the Centre of Migration Research of the University of Warsaw, Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) at Oslo Metropolitan University.

This is an online event. After registering, participants will receive a Zoom link to join the webinar.

The webinar will be recorded and published on the CMR YouTube channel.

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