European Commission - Daily News Daily News 16 / 03 / 2026 Brussels, 16 March 2026 EU announces €458 million in humanitarian aid for the war-torn Middle East The European Commission is confirming €450 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan in 2026. With major donors withdrawing from the region and international humanitarian law under unprecedented strain, the EU is sustaining life-saving...
European Commission - Daily News Daily News 16 / 03 / 2026 Brussels, 16 March 2026 EU announces €458 million in humanitarian aid for the war-torn Middle East The European Commission is confirming €450 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan in 2026. With major donors withdrawing from the region and international humanitarian law under unprecedented strain, the EU is sustaining life-saving assistance to millions of people. In Syria, €210 million in EU humanitarian funding will sustain life-saving emergency response and protection across the entire country. In Palestine , €124 million will support food assistance, health, protection, shelter and education, delivered by partners operating under extremely difficult conditions. In Lebanon, €100 million will deliver emergency health care, basic assistance for families who have nothing left, protection services, shelter, and education for children out of school, with EU Humanitarian airbridge flights already delivering medical and relief items on the ground. In Jordan, a total of €15.5 million will sustain essential services such as health and protection, and meet the needs of refugees, both in and out of camps. Finally, in Egypt, €8 million will support multi-sectoral assistance to the most vulnerable. Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib , said: “ In a war-torn Middle East, the European Union is stepping up while others step back. We are now the largest donor still delivering humanitarian aid in some of the world's most severe crises, helping people living through the darkest moments of their lives. We must stand with them. International Humanitarian Law exists to protect them, and Europe will defend it. We will continue delivering life-saving aid for as long as it is needed”. A press release is available online. (For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortès – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35) EU announces €36 million in humanitarian aid to Mozambique and neighbouring countries in Southern Africa The European Commission announced today €36 million in EU humanitarian aid that will reach six countries across Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean region. Over 20 million people face acute food insecurity, according to Commission data, and conflict in northern Mozambique continues to drive one of the world's most severe displacement crises. Commissioner Lahbib travels to Maputo today to discuss the EU's humanitarian response to floods rand how to better prepare for future disasters, as major donors have scaled back operations across the region. She will meet with the President of Mozambique, Daniel Chapo. "When a crisis stops making headlines, the suffering doesn't stop. The EU stays, that's what it means to be a principled donor. As other partners retreat and humanitarian law faces unprecedented strain, EU aid continues to reach people in need, wherever they are," said the Commissioner . Of the €36 million, €20 million go to Mozambique, where over 610,000 people are displaced by conflict in Cabo Delgado and floods have compounded the crisis since December. This funding covers food assistance, healthcare, protection, clean water and education for children cut off from school by violence and disaster. The remaining €16 million addresses malnutrition and health emergencies in Angola, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with €6 million ring-fenced for disaster preparedness across the region. This funding forms part of the EU's global humanitarian budget for ‘ forgotten crises ' – rarely reported by the media and forgotten by donors, leading to a lack of funding and attention to resolve their situation. (For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortès – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35) EU-funded flight repatriates 134 more European citizens from the Middle East, bringing total repatriations to over 11,000 in recent weeks The fifth evacuation flight from the Middle East, chartered and fully funded by the European Commission landed yesterday in Bucharest, Romania. The flight enabled the safe repatriation of 134 European citizens, following a request from the Romanian authorities. Departing from Oman, the flight transported 96 Romanian nationals and 38 citizens from other European countries, who had been stranded in the United Arab Emirates. The EU also covered up to 75% of road transport costs that passengers incurred to reach Oman. Since the beginning of the escalation in the region in late February, the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre has supported near 90 flights, bringing nearly 11,000 European citizens back to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden. “ When crisis strikes, Europe protects its people. The war in the Middle East shows again that when crises stretch national capacities, Europe steps in. We have now helped repatriate more than 11,000 Europeans. And we will keep working until everyone who needs help gets it,” said Commissioner Lahbib. Any country in Europe and beyond can request emergency assistance by activating the EU Civil Protection Mechanism . The EU remains engaged in repatriation efforts to bring European citizens back to safety, as flights under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism continue at a rapid pace. (For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortès – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35) Oscars 2026: EU-funded ‘Sentimental Value' wins award for Best International Feature Film On Sunday 15 March, the winners of the 98 th Academy Awards were announced. EU-funded film ‘Sentimental Value' by Joachim Trier won the award in the category of Best International Feature Film. The European Commission has granted over €4 million through the Creative Europe MEDIA programme to support the development and distribution of high-quality films. Six MEDIA-supported films received a total of 15 nominations in the 2026 Oscars. (For more information: Thomas Regnier - Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Patricia Poropat - Tel.: +32 2 298 04 85) Commission adopts new State aid rules to boost the use of more sustainable ways of transport The European Commission adopted today the State aid Land and Multimodal Transport Guidelines (LMT Guidelines) and the Transport Block Exemption Regulation (TBER) . These instruments support more sustainable transport modes for both passengers and freight and update the EU State aid framework for land and multimodal transport. The new rules replace the 2008 Guidelines on State aid for railway undertakings . The LMT Guidelines and the TBER establish a coherent State aid framework covering a broad range of sustainable transport modes and aid measures, while maintaining safeguards to prevent undue distortions of competition. The LMT Guidelines set out the conditions under which State aid that has to be notified to the Commission for approval before it can be granted may be declared compatible with the internal market. The new Guidelines address sustainable land transport modes, clarify options for operating and investment aid, and introduce flexible aid rules and safeguards to help new operators enter and expand in sustainable land transport markets. The TBER complements the Guidelines by exempting certain categories of aid in the rail, inland waterways and sustainable multimodal transport sectors from the requirement of prior notification to and approval by the Commission. This new exemption framework constitutes a major simplification , enabling Member States to quickly provide aid where conditions are met. The instruments will enter into force on 30 March 2026. The TBER will be in place until 31 December 2034. There is no end date for the LMT Guidelines. Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera , said: With today's adoption of the Land and Multimodal Transport Guidelines and the Transport Block Exemption Regulation, we equip Member States with a modern and coherent State aid framework that supports sustainable and interoperable land transport while safeguarding fair competition. These rules simplify procedures and facilitate public support for sustainable transport solutions, thus contributing to a more efficient, affordable and greener European land transport ”. A press release is available online. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 229 94774) ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Albuquerque convenes first meeting of financial literacy ambassadors Today, Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, Maria Luís Albuquerque , will convene the first virtual meeting of national financial literacy ambassadors. Appointed by Member States, the ambassadors will play a pivotal role in strengthening and promoting financial literacy efforts at both national and EU level, engaging with citizens and communities through a variety of channels, including media engagement and participation in public events. They will also guide citizens towards reliable financial literacy programmes, resources and relevant interlocutors, through public engagement. Strengthening financial literacy is a central priority of this European Commission's mandate. Higher levels of financial literacy can empower citizens to manage their personal finances more confidently and enable them to budget better, detect scams and frauds, avoid over-indebtedness, save more effectively and make informed investment choices. The meeting marks an important step in implementing the Commission's Financial Literacy Strategy , which was adopted on 30 September 2025. Under this strategy, the Commission has committed to launching an EU-wide awareness-raising campaign on financial literacy to complement and amplify national efforts. A central element of this campaign is the creation of a network of national financial literacy ambassadors. This meeting coincides with the launch of Global Money Week (GMW), the annual global campaign organised by the OECD International Network on Financial Education (OECD/INFE) to educate young people about financial literacy and responsible money management. The 14th edition of GMW will take place between 16-22 March 2026 under the theme ‘Smart Money Talks'. The list of the appointed ambassadors is available here . (For more information: Siobhan McGarry - Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Marta Perez-Cejuela Romero - Tel.: +32 2 296 37 70) Commission hosts major anti-racism conference in Brussels Tomorrow, the European Commission will host its inaugural European Anti-Racism Conference, jointly with the Council of the EU, and with the participation of Members of the European Parliament – one of Europe's biggest events in the fight against racism. The one-day event in Brussels will serve to discuss concrete actions to tackle racism in Europe. The Commission has put forward an Anti-racism Strategy for 2026-2030 putting actions on the table to ensure sustainable change and fight all kinds of racism into everyday life. The strategy recalls and reinforces the intention of the Commission to achieve a Union where equality, dignity, and justice are for all citizens, regardless of their skin color and ethnicity. The conference will include sessions and panels on topics including the need for coordinated action from global to local levels; how racism is a barrier to equal social, economic and health conditions, and to the prosperity of Europe; and how to eradicate racism in the digital world, particularly in the use of artificial intelligence. The conference will bring together representatives from EU institutions, Member States, international organisations, civil society, academia, non-governmental associations and grassroots organisations such as UNESCO, the European Coalition for Cities against Racism and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib , will open the event. She will highlight the EU's steadfast commitment to fighting racism in all its forms, including anti-Black racism, antigypsyism, antisemitism, anti-Asian racism and anti-Muslim hatred. The conference takes place ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, as part of the annual commemoration of all victims of racial discrimination. The event can be followed live online . ( For more information: Eva Hrncirova – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray – Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73 ) EU tax symposium brings together policy makers and tax experts Today and tomorrow, the European Parliament and the European Commission will co-host the fourth EU Tax Symposium in Brussels. This is a key forum for policymakers, academics, and tax experts to exchange on the future of taxation in the EU as well as internationally. The event will feature a session with Commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis and Wopke Hoekstra , in addition to several other high-profile speakers, including President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and Nobel Economics prize laureates Philippe Aghion and Robert Stiglitz. Under the headline 'The future of taxation: inequality and growth in the global economy', participants will discuss how tax policy can support competitiveness and innovation in a sustainable way. The line- up of speakers also includes ministers, senior policymakers, leading academics, and business representatives, who will contribute to the international debate on the role of taxation in times of major economic challenges. Over the course of the event, participants will exchange views on how tax systems can enhance competitiveness, and encourage investment through simpler rules, and less red tape; how compliance can be increased, and public revenue protected. Additionally, discussions will focus on key policy issues, such as closing tax gaps, furthering international cooperation, and boosting the digitalisation of tax systems. The symposium aims to draw attention and make a lasting contribution to the broader reflection on how tax systems can be made fit for the future. The full programme and the livestream can be found online . (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229-80100; Bridget Moylan – Tel.: +32 229- 82844) Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings Note that these items can be subject to changes. Upcoming events of the European Commission Eurostat press releases Calendar items of the President and Commissioners Individual calendars of the President and Commissioners MEX/26/612
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