Press Release: EU long term residents’ directive extended to refugees and other beneficiaries of international protection, Luxembourg, 11 April 2011

The Council adopted today (11.4.2011) an extension of the EU rules on long term residents amending directive 2003/109/EC. As a consequence, refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection will be able to acquire long-term resident status on a similar basis as other third-country nationals legally living in the EU for more than five
years. Member states will have to comply with the new rules within two years. The UK, Ireland and Denmark are not taking part in the application of these rules.