The Emergency Transit Centre, Europe’s first evacuation facility of the kind, was created in May 2008. It was set up pursuant to a Tripartite Agreement concluded between the Government of Romania, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 

The facility with the capacity of hosting up to 200 people provides temporary shelter to refugees who are in need of immediate evacuation from their first country of refuge. Such evacuations occur when refugees face life threatening situations: risk of being forcibly returned to areas where they would face persecution (refoulement) or residence in unstable, inhumane or dangerous conditions.

The ETC enables UNHCR to bring refugees to a safe place. In addition, resettlement countries can visit the facility to conduct interviews with candidates for resettlement under the best possible conditions. Medical examinations and treatment can be carried out and refugees can attend orientation workshops and language courses in order to prepare them for their future resettlement countries. 

In addition to the Romanian government, IOM and UNHCR, the ETC operates with the Generaţie Tânără, a Romanian non-governmental organization, as well as with the cooperation of resettlement countries, international donors and Romanian citizens living nearby.