Discussions about temporary protection appear at regular intervals in national and international fora, wherever the question of refugees is on the agenda. Over the years temporary protection has been seen as one of the means available to a country facing a mass influx of refugees. It was thus discussed and used, among other places, in connection with Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong, Thailand and elsewhere in South East Asia, with Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran, and with Iranian refugees in Turkey. Once again, the international community is looking for remedies in order to be able to act rapidly and give protection to a large number of refugees, specifically with reference to refugees from former Yugoslavia, who are fleeing a terrible war. With more than two million refugees from the former Yugoslav republics, Europe is today facing the biggest refugee problem in the region since World War II. To meet this challenge, European countries will need all available legal, human and economic resources.