Joint paper | 5th edition | May 2026
Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, which started at full scale on 24 February 2022, triggered a firm and comprehensive political response by the European Union. Actions in the EU Justice and Home Affairs domain are integral parts of a successful and efficient response. The nine agencies cooperating within the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies’ Network (JHAAN) play a vital role in this process by: contributing to the implementation of political decisions made at the European level; assisting Member States and third countries; and providing support to people affected by the war, in particular persons displaced from Ukraine.
The JHAAN issued a Joint Statement on 7 March 2022, committing the nine agencies to providing assistance, in line with the measures agreed by the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 3-4 March 2022, and the outcomes of the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 27 February 2022. Later, policy developments — such as the European Commission’s 10-Point Plan for stronger European coordination on welcoming people fleeing the war from Ukraine — have also been guiding the agencies’ response. The 2023 European Council conclusions on the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine will probably pave the way for new projects within the JHAAN. Under Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1460 of 15 July 2025, temporary protection for people displaced from Ukraine has been extended until 4 March 2027.
JHA Agencies’ contributions are determined by their respective mandates, and, in many cases, build on synergies established by prior inter-agency cooperation. Despite existing challenges in terms of resources, each of the nine agencies have engaged in a substantial number of actions that have translated into tangible solutions and support. This would not have been possible without the commitment of the agencies and their staff to do their utmost and to contribute to EU solidarity in this unprecedented crisis.