Pursuant to Article 62 paragraph 1b, second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and with the approval of the Council of the European Union granted on 4 June 2026, the European Commission notifies the following:

The automatic designation of Ukraine as a safe country of origin, due to its status as a candidate country for accession to the European Union under Article 62 paragraph 1b of Regulation (EU) 2024/1348, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/464, is excepted under point (a) of that same Article.

This exception is justified on the grounds that there exists in Ukraine a serious threat to a civilian’s life or person by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict. This situation is recognised at Union level, including in the European Council Conclusions of 24 February 2022, the European Council Conclusions of 30–31 May 2022, and Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382, which activated temporary protection under Directive 2001/55/EC in response to the armed aggression and illegal invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

The continuing armed conflict in Ukraine, characterised by widespread and indiscriminate violence, precludes its designation as a safe country of origin for the purposes of Union asylum law.

This notification shall take effect on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.