Definition(s)
- In the general EU-context, the transfer of persons having a status defined by the Geneva Refugee Convention and Protocol or subsidiary protection within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU (Recast Qualification Directive) from the EU Member State which granted them international protection to another EU Member State where they will be granted similar protection, and of persons having applied for international protection from the EU Member State which is responsible for examining their application to another EU Member State where their applications for international protection will be examined.
Source(s)
- General EU context: DG Migration and Home Affairs: Website on Relocation
- Context of EU emergency relocation programme: Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601, and
- Council Decision (EU) 2016/1754
Translations
- BG: преместване/ релокация
- CS: relokace
- DE: Umsiedlung (EU-acquis); Umverteilung
- EL: μετεγκατάσταση
- EN: relocation
- ES: reubicación
- ET: ümberpaigutamine
- FI: sisäinen siirto
- FR: relocalisation
- GA: athshocrú
- HR: premještanje
- HU: relokáció / áthelyezés
- IT: ricollocazione
- LT: perkėlimas
- LV: pārcelšana
- MT: rilokazzjoni
- NL: herplaatsing
- PL: relokacja
- PT: recolocação
- RO: relocare
- SK: premiestnenie (EU acquis); relokácia
- SL: premestitev
- SV: omplacering
- NO: relokalisering
- KA: (ევროკავშირის ერთი წევრი სახელმწიფოდან მეორეში) განსახლება
- UK: переміщення
- HY: վերաբնակեցում
Synonym(s)
- emergency relocation
Broader Term(s)
Related Term(s)
Note(s)
1. Relocation is an intra-EU solidarity tool enabling the transfer of persons having already international protection status and of those who are in need of international protection from one EU Member State to another EU Member State, CH and NO participate as well.
2. Directive 2001/55/EC (Temporary Protection Directive) promotes in its Art. 1 in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons from third countries a balance of effort between EU Member States in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving such persons.
3. In 2015, the EU launched an emergency relocation programme to reduce the burden on Italy and Greece/ The programme was implemented on the basis of Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601 in the context of Art. 78(3) TFEU, which allows the Council to adopt provisional measures in emergency situations as part of the emergency response system meaning a temporary distribution scheme for persons in clear need of international protection to ensure a fair and balanced participation of all EU Member States to this common effort. Eligibility for the EU emergency relocation programme was limited to applicants who were in clear need of international protection and were nationals or stateless residents of those countries for which the EU-wide average recognition rate among decisions taken at first instance was 75 per cent or higher. The emergency relocation programme ended as of 26 September 2017.
4. After the first EU emergency programme ended in 2017, voluntary relocation efforts for migrants rescued at sea in the Central Mediterranean were initiated by some EU countries in 2018. This was coordinated by the European Commission in response to requests from Italy and Malta. The Malta Declaration in September 2019 formalized a temporary relocation mechanism for these efforts. Since 2018, around 3,000 individuals have been relocated from Italy and Malta to other European countries with EU support.
Additionally, a voluntary relocation scheme for unaccompanied minors, vulnerable asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection from Greece to other European countries was established in 2020. This scheme involves 16 countries and has seen over 5,000 people relocated from Greece.
The Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism (VSM) was set up in June 2022 by 21 European countries to address migratory challenges in the Mediterranean Member States through relocation or financial contributions.
5. Relocation should not be confused with resettlement which is an international solidarity and responsibility-sharing mechanism including the selection and transfer of refugees of any nationality, on a request from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), from a State in which they have sought protection to a third state which has agreed to admit them as refugees with permanent residence status. For further information see the entry 'resettlement' in this glossary.