UNHCR observations on the draft Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens

The UNHCR Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries has provided its observations in relation to the draft Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens (the Bill), which was shared by the Ministry of the Interior of Estonia for public consultation on 26 June 2026.

The Bill consolidates and revises national provisions on international and temporary protection procedures. It clarifies the role of state authorities in registration, asylum adjudication, reception, and return processes. It further outlines resettlement and solidarity mechanisms with other EU Member States and sets outs obligations related to reception and integration programmes.

UNHCR welcomes this legislative initiative as a positive step toward enhancing Estonia’s refugee protection framework and facilitating the effective implementation of the EU Pact. UNHCR encourages the adoption of broad and inclusive definition of family members, the establishment of procedural safeguards for vulnerable groups, proportionate and transparent procedures, and flexible, accessible support for integration.

UNHCR’s observations can be found here.