Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Society

The Estonian government approved Estonia's positions concerning the new resettlement scheme for at least 50,000 refugees, according to which Estonia will receive 40 people from Turkey in both 2018 and 2019, altogether 80 people, spokespeople for the government said.

Estonia agreed on its acceptance capacity two years ago and that capacity has not increased. Hence the 80 people to whom Estonia will offer protection in 2018 and in 2019 are a part of the quota of 550 agreed in 2015.

The European Commission on Sept. 27 presented a series of new initiatives in key areas: a new resettlement scheme for at least 50,000 refugees, pilot projects for legal migration which the Commission can help finance and coordinate, and new measures to make the EU's return policy more effective.

Estonia has thus far received 175 beneficiaries of international protection under the EU relocation and resettlement plan, including 141 from Greece, 30 from Turkey and four from Italy. About half the refugees are not in Estonia at this point.