Resettlement to the European Union is the transfer of vulnerable refugees from host countries to Member States of the European Union and Associated Countries (EU+ countries), where they will be admitted and granted the right to stay and any other rights comparable to those granted to beneficiaries of international protection. The EUAA supports the implementation of EU+ countries’ resettlement efforts in the framework of European resettlement schemes, in cooperation with the European Commission, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Migration Agency (IOM) and other relevant actors.
The EUAA Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission (RST&HA) Network was established in January 2020, after consultation with EU+ countries and in close cooperation with the European Commission DG HOME, with the aim of facilitating and increasing operational cooperation, coordination and efficiency between national authorities of resettling EU+ countries and with relevant actors, both at strategic and at operational levels.
The network is composed of EU+ countries National Contact Points (NCPs) and specific EU+ country experts, as well as UNHCR and IOM on invitation.
Alongside the Network activities, the EUAA continues to work closely with its partners and stakeholders through EU and global fora such as the Resettlement Forum, the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) and Priority Situations Core Group (PSCG). Close contact and coordination with UNHCR and IOM are facilitated through quarterly tripartite meetings. Other partners such as the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) are also engaged frequently, as well as civil society in general through the EUAA’s Consultative Forum.
Specific Working Groups, including on Community Sponsorship, Information Provision, Monitoring and Evaluation in Resettlement and Humanitarian Admissions, as well as the Expert Platform on Safe Pathways for Afghans, have been set up under the umbrella of the Network.
A growing number of EU+ countries are engaging in community sponsorship initiatives, which underpins resettlement, humanitarian admission and other complementary pathways for persons in need of international protection. These programmes allow non-state actors to support beneficiaries in one or several stages of the process, including admission, reception and integration. The role of civil society organisations, private sponsors or groups of private individuals may vary depending on the programme, but a common feature is that it always involves close cooperation with all stakeholders involved, including state authorities.
The EUAA, together with the European Commission DG HOME and EU+ countries, is supporting the development of an EU-approach to community sponsorship. A dedicated Working Group has been established within the EUAA Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Network to facilitate discussions on this topic. Initial discussions highlighted that there is no single model defining the European approach, as EU+ countries are implementing various models, each with their own merit. The EU approach could therefore be seen as a set of success factors, representing a common denominator across EU schemes.
EU+ countries have agreed that an EU approach to community sponsorship should be established through a set of shared guidelines and principles for sponsorship models. With this in mind, the Working Group, in consultation with selected countries has developed the Guidelines on the EU Approach to Community Sponsorship.
Guidelines on the EU Approach to Community Sponsorship
These guidelines aim to establish minimum quality standards for the different phases of community sponsorship across the EU. They are primarily intended for Member States’ officials involved in the design, development or implementation of community sponsorship schemes. Nevertheless, the tool can also be useful for civil society organisations and other actors who take an active role in running these schemes.
It is of upmost importance that refugees have access to clear, relevant and up-to-date information about the resettlement process and the countries they may be resettled to, as this information empowers refugees to make informed decisions about their future. The importance of effective, well-tailored information provision has been widely recognised by practitioners, policymakers and academic as the way forward for successful resettlement programmes.
The EUAA established a dedicated Working Group on Information Provision within the framework of the EUAA Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Network in 2021. The working group aims to enhance information provision on resettlement in EU+ countries, with a focus on Pre-Departure Orientation and post-arrival information. The group further seeks to ensure high-quality standards across all stages of the resettlement process, foster cooperation, encourage peer learning and create tools for operational staff.
The European Commission's 2021 recommendation to Member States encouraging countries to develop and implement internal monitoring and evaluation systems, which prompted the EUAA to establish the Working Group on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), which has since proposed a variety of capacity-building and support activities aimed at creating a shared platform for EU+ countries to collaborate on a common approach to monitoring and evaluation in resettlement and humanitarian pathways, and other complementary pathways programmes.
The working group has recognised the importance of the development of specific tools and methodologies. The EUAA, in consultation with the working group, has developed the Handbook on M&E in Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission.
Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluation in Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission
This handbook is specifically designed for individuals who manage and/or implement resettlement or humanitarian admission programmes, the handbook is intended to equip practitioners with the essential knowledge and tools needed to establish the fundamentals of M&E. It includes a set of adaptable qualitative and quantitative indicators that EU+ countries can tailor to their unique contexts. The scope of the handbook is to empower practitioners to effectively use and understand the data from the processes that they manage but also to provide the foundational knowledge necessary for deciding on the establishment of more complex M&E systems.
The Expert Platform on Safe Pathways for Afghans is an EUAA initiative to ensure European and global coordination on efforts in providing and enhancing legal and safe channels for vulnerable Afghans in need of international protection. It was set up in October 2021, following high-level discussions calling for a coordinated approach on this topic.
The Expert Platform held its inaugural meeting on 21 October 2021, with initially monthly follow-up meetings. The Platforms participants include EU+ countries, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, as well as the European Commission, the EEAS, UNHCR, IOM, ICMPD, IGC and EUAA. On invitation, other relevant stakeholders may be invited to participate. The Platform has developed Terms of Reference and a Programming Document, which has been updated regularly.
The EUAA Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Network focuses on EU-relevant topics, including complementary pathways to international protection. It facilitates discussions on best practices related to family reunification, education, and labour pathways, while promoting the sharing of knowledge and expertise.
In 2016, the European Commission proposed establishing a permanent framework and harmonised procedure for resettlement and humanitarian admission across the EU, to replace the existing ad hoc resettlement schemes. By November 2017, the Council agreed its position to begin negotiations with the Parliament on the proposal for an EU Resettlement Framework, with negotiations concluding in 2022.
On 8 February 2024, EU Member States' representatives endorsed the agreement reached between the Council and the Parliament in 2022. The Council adopted the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum on 14 May 2024.
The Union Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Framework (URF) is the first legislative instrument of the Pact that became applicable on 11 June 2024. Its entry into force marks a significant step towards a harmonised EU approach to resettlement and humanitarian admission.
The Regulation aims to provide safe and legal pathways to protection to the EU, by providing alternatives to irregular journeys, establish common rules for resettlement and humanitarian admission, contribute to global resettlement and humanitarian admission initiatives and support non-EU countries hosting many people in need of international protection.
Within the new framework, the Council will adopt a two-year EU Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Union Plan based on a Commission proposal. This plan will include: the maximum total number of persons to be admitted, details about Member States' participation and their share of that number and the overall geographical priorities.
The High-Level Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Committee
The Regulation establishes the High-Level Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Committee (High-Level Committee), holding its first session on 7 November 2024. Chaired by the European Commission, it includes representatives from the European Parliament, the Council, EU countries, the EUAA, UNHCR, IOM and members of civil society, upon invitation.
The Committee will support the Commission in implementing the URF and defining the EU’s two-year Union Plan, determining the number of refugees to be admitted and priority regions.
The Union Plan will then be adopted by the Council based on a proposal from the Commission and the voluntary contributions of EU Member States. The first Union Plan is expected to cover the period 2026-2027.
EUAA’s Role under the URF
In light of the new permanent framework and common procedures to strengthen safe and legal pathways to protection to the EU, the EUAA will support EU countries and associated countries that indicate their intention to be associated with the implementation of the two-year EU Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Union Plan. Upon request and in accordance with its mandate, the EUAA will assist in the implementation of certain elements of the admission procedure and by coordinating technical cooperation and facilitating the sharing of infrastructure between them.
Since the EU-Türkiye Statement on 18 March 2016, EU+ countries have been resettling refugees from Türkiye with increased intensity, thereby implementing their commitments to international solidarity and contributing to the creation of durable solutions for persons in need of international protection.
Recognising that Türkiye remains one of the largest refugee hosting countries in the world, and that a significant number of EU+ countries are resettling out of Türkiye, the EUAA engaged in 2017 in an extensive joint process with EU+ countries, in consultation with the European Commission, to assess options for delivering operational support. The EUAA proposed a way forward in the form of a pilot project for the establishment of a Resettlement Support Facility (RSF) as a ‘one-stop-shop’ supporting EU+ countries’ resettlement operations from Türkiye, as well as serving as a platform to exchange knowledge and expertise.
The RSF pilot project in Istanbul was launched in April 2019 and came to an end in April 2021. Following positive feedback from EU+ countries in the two years of the project implementation and the recommendations resulting from the external evaluation of the pilot project, the EUAA signed a new four-year contract with the Jesuit Refugee Services Croatia and its partner, the International Catholic Migration Commission, for the continuation of the support. On 8 May 2025, the EUAA signed a new Framework Contract with JRS and ICMC for the period 2025–2029.
The RSF allows the EUAA to support EU+ countries’ resettlement operations from Türkiye in a collaborative and innovative way, by providing a varied range of resettlement services at the availability of EU+ countries.
Services include logistical support for selection missions, such as transportation and accommodation for refugees, rooms for conducting interviews, providing childcare and the provision of information for cultural orientation (CO)/pre-departure orientation (PDO) sessions.
In view of the positive outcomes of the RSF project in Istanbul, the EUAA is assessing, based on consultations with EU+ countries, the possibility to replicate the RSF-like concept in partner countries other than Türkiye.
The resettlement training modules provide an insight into what resettlement is, who it is for, and how it can be organised and delivered in practice. The modules cover an introduction to resettlement and humanitarian admission, complementary pathways, and various stages of the resettlement process, including the selection, pre-departure, and post-arrival phases, as well as a tailor-made training on monitoring and evaluation in resettlement and humanitarian admission.
These training modules are designed for practitioners working in the field of resettlement, such as case officers, resettlement officers, pre-departure orientation/cultural orientation officers and heads of selection missions and pre-departure orientation/cultural orientation missions.
The training modules on resettlement have been developed with the involvement of EU+ experts, UNHCR and IOM.
The EUAA is dedicated to supporting EU+ countries in the continuous improvement of quality standards of their asylum and reception related processes, including those relevant to resettlement and humanitarian admissions, through the development of practical, operational tools and guidance.
The Resettlement Operational Tools were initially developed under the Facilitating Resettlement and Refugee Admission through New Knowledge (EU-FRANK) project, which was funded by the European Asylum Migration and Integration Fund and led by the Swedish Migration Agency.
After the handover to the EUAA, a quality assurance process was introduced through peer reviewing and referencing, involving EU+ experts, with the aim of further operationalising the tools and ensuring their applicability to a wide-ranging variety of EU+ resettlement schemes.
The tools are available on the EUAA website and include templates, checklists, practical guides and guiding notes, designed to streamline and enhance the resettlement and humanitarian admission profess. The tools cover various aspects of selection and dossier selection, such as the resettlement interview, transfer arrangements, communication with refugees and pre-departure orientation.
In addition to the tools developed under the EU-FRANK Project, practical and operational tools have been developed through the Working Groups of the Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Network.