The European Commission proposed to exclude “those with military obligations” from the EU’s temporary protection scheme for Ukrainians. Under the new proposal, all men aged 23 to 60 who are subject to Ukraine’s wartime exit ban are to be excluded from the simplified admission rules.
Currently, the EU’s so-called Mass Influx Directive grants automatic protection to fleeing Ukrainians, bypassing case-by-case reviews and standard asylum procedures. Germany, Denmark, and other member states have already spoken out in favor of restrictions to the scheme in recent weeks.
Declared in February 2022, the martial law in Ukraine criminalizes both draft rejection and unauthorized departure by adult men. It has fueled a shadow economy where those wanting to avoid conscription, or exit the country for other reasons, pay large bribes to avoid prison sentences of up to five years. According to Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, more than two million people are currently being pursued for conscription.
