Statement by Commissioner Lahbib on behalf of EU Member States on the 75th Anniversary of the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees

Seventy-five years on, the Refugee Convention continues to safeguard millions of lives, ensuring people escaping persecution can access protection and rights. Amid unprecedented global displacement, it remains as relevant as ever, and we need to maintain it as the cornerstone of international refugee protection.

This anniversary must be a call for action: to strengthen our collective responsibility and renew our commitment to the institution of asylum. The European Union and its Member States reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the Convention, its core values and principles, and to UNHCR as its primary guardian.

The EU provides temporary protection to more than 4.8 million people fleeing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and leads humanitarian response, from Sudan to Syria, Myanmar and beyond. We will continue to shoulder our responsibilities hosting refugees, supporting other host countries, promoting sustainable solutions and strengthening the UN system.

Today's movements are increasingly complex: people fleeing persecution travel the same routes as others moving for different reasons, while being highly vulnerable to transnational criminal networks. These journeys cost lives and make it harder to reach those in need of protection. A route-based approach addresses these challenges by identifying vulnerabilities early supporting fair and swift protection for those entitled to it and preventing irregular migration. By doing so, it should guard against abuses of the asylum system built only for those fleeing persecution. Defending the Convention means defending its integrity.