Commission coordinates repatriation flights from the Middle East under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism
Yesterday and today, the European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) has supported EU Member States with the organisation of six repatriation flights, bringing European citizens safely back to Bulgaria, Italy, Austria and Slovakia. Additional repatriation flights under the Mechanism are planned in the coming days, as an increasing number of EU Member States have activated it.
In response to the recent developments in the region, the Commission is taking every possible step to ensure the safety of EU citizens by supporting Member states in coordinating repatriation flights from the Middle East. The priority is to assist Member states and to protect EU citizens stranded in the region and bring them safely back home, to Europe. As of 5 March, 10 Member States have activated the Mechanism, namely Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxemburg, Romania, Slovakia and Austria.
“No European is ever alone in a crisis. Their safety always comes first”, said Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, “From day one, we have been fully mobilised to bring home the hundreds of thousands of Europeans stranded in the Middle East through our EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The EU stands by its people and will spare no effort to get them home safe and sound”.
The ERCC coordinates logistically flights offered by the Member States. The Commission is fully mobilised to assist them and remains in contact on this issue with EU Delegations and Member States’ consular authorities in the region.