Six EU-backed repatriation flights have brought European citizens from the Middle East back to Bulgaria, Italy, Austria and Slovakia over the past two days.
The flights were supported by the Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), which helps EU countries organise assistance during crises, the European Commission announced on Thursday.
More repatriation flights are planned in the coming days as more EU countries request help, it added.
The Commission said its focus was on supporting Member States to bring home EU citizens stranded in the Middle East following “recent developments in the region”.
As of 5 March, 10 member states had activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia and Austria.
The ERCC coordinates the logistics of flights offered by member states and stays in contact with EU delegations and national consular authorities in the region.
How EU funding can cover flight costs
The Commission can cover part of the cost of repatriation flights, with up to 75% of eligible expenses reimbursed if at least 30% of seats are offered to citizens of other EU countries.
If no member state can provide a flight, the Commission can book one through the EU’s rescEU system and cover 100% of the costs.
“No European is ever alone in a crisis. Their safety always comes first,” Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said.
The Commission stated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism can be activated by countries in Europe and beyond to request emergency assistance, after which the ERCC helps coordinate the response.
EU citizens have been left stranded in affected countries and also in parts of Asia-Pacific and Africa due to the closure of key airports, following recent developments in Iran and the wider Middle East.
