European Commission - Daily News Daily News 29 / 06 / 2026 Brussels, 29 June 2026 EU delivers emergency aid and organises a humanitarian flight in response to earthquakes in Venezuela In response to the increasing humanitarian needs caused by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela, the European Union is delivering €5 million in humanitarian aid to provide immediate help to the most affected communities. This emergency f...
European Commission - Daily News Daily News 29 / 06 / 2026 Brussels, 29 June 2026 EU delivers emergency aid and organises a humanitarian flight in response to earthquakes in Venezuela In response to the increasing humanitarian needs caused by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela, the European Union is delivering €5 million in humanitarian aid to provide immediate help to the most affected communities. This emergency funding will focus on providing shelter and healthcare to people affected by the disaster. Additionally, the EU is also organising a Humanitarian Air Bridge to transport essential supplies to the affected areas. A flight is scheduled to leave early this week from Copenhagen, with around 50 tonnes of shelter material, water and sanitation equipment and education supplies. This new assistance comes on top of the €52 million already allocated this year to respond to the humanitarian consequences of the socio-economic crisis in Venezuela . The humanitarian aid released follows the EU's continuous efforts to coordinate the emergency response through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism . The Commission has received offers from 11 EU Member States and 1 Participating State, providing search and rescue teams, medical teams and telecommunication support. A team of 11 technical experts from Spain, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Estonia and the Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) arrived over the weekend to Venezuela to support operations on the ground, in addition to a further team of experts provided by Italy. This makes in total 14 EU countries having contributed with search and rescue teams, medical teams and telecommunication support, or with technical knowledge so far. Furthermore, the Copernicus satellite service has also been activated in its emergency mapping mode. This helps to capture high-resolution imagery of crisis zones, converting raw data into actionable maps for rescue teams, NGOs, and civil protection authorities. Copernicus has already produced 25 maps and 13 images from 13 different Areas of Interest. Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib , said: “The EU remains committed to helping the Venezuelan people, and we are doing so with all the tools at our disposal. This additional funding and supplies will provide much needed help to families who lost their homes, patients in need of medical assistance or children whose schools have been damaged. EU Member States continue to show remarkable solidarity, with up to 14 EU countries already contributing to this relief operation, and the European Union coordinating and transporting the aid, in a true Team Europe spirit.” (For more information: Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray - Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73) Commission approves new geographical indication from Slovakia Today, the European Commission has approved the registration of ‘Brhlovské podlievané buchty' from Slovakia as a Protected Geographical Indication . ‘Brhlovské podlievané buchty' are baked leavened buns filled with sweetened poppy seeds or plum jam, originating from the village of Brhlovce and its surrounding area in south-west Slovakia. They are recognisable by their soft, fluffy texture and golden-brown crust. They are characterised by a distinctive preparation method - after partial baking, the buns are covered with a sweet milk-and- cream mixture and baked again, which gives them their typical moist surface and rich flavour. The product is closely linked to local culinary traditions and know-how passed down through generations and remains an important part of the area's food culture, both for locals and tourists. This new designation joins the more than 3,900 protected names already listed in the eAmbrosia database. More information is available on the Quality Policy pages . (For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 2 296 97 76; Kateřina Horáková - Tel.: +32 2 299 93 10) Commission approves €402 million Spanish State aid for road transport companies facing increased fuel prices The European Commission has approved a €402 million Spanish State aid scheme to support road transport companies facing increased fuel prices due to the Middle East crisis. The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF) adopted by the Commission on 29 April 2026 . The aid will take the form of direct grants. For beneficiaries who are eligible under an existing diesel tax refund scheme for professionals, the aid can cover up to 70% of the additional fuel costs resulting from the Middle East crisis incurred between 1 March and 30 June 2026. For beneficiaries who are not eligible under that tax refund scheme, the aid can either be capped at €50,000 per company or cover up to 70% of the additional fuel costs incurred between 1 March and 31 December 2026. The Commission found that the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF and concluded that it is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to facilitate the development of an economic activity and does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest. A press release is available online. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74) Commission clears acquisition of Spectrotel and AireSpring by Charlesbank and Grain The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of AireSpring, Inc. and AireSpring California, LLC (together, ‘AireSpring') and Spectrotel Ultimate Holdings, LLC and Spectrotel of California, LLC (together, ‘Spectrotel') by Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC (‘Charlesbank') and Grain Management, LLC (‘Grain'), all of the US. The transaction relates primarily to managed network services and connectivity, cloud communication and cybersecurity solutions. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the joint venture has negligible activities in the European Economic Area. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website , in the public case register under the case number M.12466 . (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83) ANNOUNCEMENTS President von der Leyen travels to Azerbaijan and Armenia President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Azerbaijan on Wednesday 1 July and to Armenia on Thursday 2 July. The visit focuses on four priorities: supporting the peace process after last year's initialling of the historic peace agreement; improving connectivity across the region and with Europe and Central Asia; deepening our economic partnership with the South Caucasus; and supporting Armenia in the face of Russian economic coercion. On Wednesday 1 July, the President will arrive in Baku, Azerbaijan. There she will meet President Ilham Aliyev. The two Presidents will deliver press statements following their meeting at approximately 16:30 CEST. The following day, the President will travel to Yerevan, Armenia, where she will meet Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. They will hold a press conference following their meeting at around 9:25 CEST. This will be the President's second visit to Yerevan in two months, following her visit for the European Political Community and the first-ever EU-Armenia Summit in May. On 4 June, the President had announced a support package for Armenia, in solidarity with the country victim of Russia's trade restrictions. Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will accompany the President during the visit. Last year, the EU welcomed the initialling of the historic peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. All press events will be broadcast live on EBS . (For more information: Olof Gill – Tel.: +32 2 296 59 66) High Representative Kallas with Commissioners Kos and Brunner in Türkiye to advance bilateral cooperation Today and tomorrow, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas , Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos , and Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner , will travel to Türkiye to advance cooperation on key areas of mutual interest. All three members of the College of Commissioners will meet Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss EU-Türkiye relations and cooperation on shared strategic priorities. Ahead of the upcoming NATO summit, talks will focus on the common security challenges, including the wars in the Middle East and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The meeting will also address efforts to improve regional relations in the Eastern Mediterranean. Building on the recent launch of the Connectivity Agenda Platform , discussions will also encompass advancing and coordinating investments in transport, energy and digital infrastructure, alongside regulatory cooperation under the Connectivity Agenda in Türkiye and the wider region. (Anitta Hipper – Tel. +32 2 298 56 91; Guillaume Mercier - Tel.: +32 2 298 05 64; Markus Lammert - Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Yuliya Matsyk - Tel.: +32 2 296 27 16) Executive Vice-President Virkkunen presents awards to projects boosting digital skills Tomorrow, Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen will present the European Digital Skills Awards at the Digital Skills EU Days to projects dedicated to empowering individuals with essential competencies in digital tech. The event, open to the public, will also see the launch of new digital skills academies in virtual worlds, quantum and artificial intelligence to bridge critical talent gaps. Equipping citizens with digital skills is a core component of Europe's Digital Decade , which aims to provide 80% of adults with basic digital skills and have at least 20 million information and communication technology (ICT) specialists in Europe by 2030. The latest state of the Digital Decade report , published on 16 June, showed that while more than 60% of Europeans now have basic digital skills, more needs to be done to boost the number of ICT specialists in Europe, particularly women in the field. The Digital Skills EU Days will also mark the launch of a Cybersecurity Skills Coalition European Digital Infrastructure Consortium to support the work of the existing Cybersecurity Skills Academy. This is increasingly important as recent EU data found nearly 4,900 significant cybersecurity incidents were recorded in a single year. Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen said: " Digital skills can unlock the many opportunities created by tech. Opportunities that should be open to everyone. We are investing in Europe's Digital Decade, but the digital transformation does not come without investing in people's digital skills. ” The Digital Skills EU days take place between 29 June and 1 July in Brussels. (For more information: Thomas Regnier - Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Patricia Poropat — Tel. + 32 2 299 27 17) Commissioner Brunner participates in youth policy dialogue in Austria Today, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner , will participate in a Youth Policy Dialogue in Vienna, organised together with the SPAR-Akademie . The event will bring together retail apprentices and other young participants to engage in an open exchange on European Union policies, with a particular focus on vocational education, internal security, migration, and current political challenges. During the dialogue, Commissioner Brunner will outline his role and priorities as EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration and engage in a moderated discussion with participants. The exchange will cover topics such as migration management, the functioning of the Schengen area, fighting organised crime and radicalisation, and the broader geopolitical context shaping EU policies. Participants will also have the opportunity to raise questions about civic engagement and the role of young people in shaping Europe's future. Youth dialogues are part of the European Commission's commitment to mainstream the voice of young people in EU policymaking, as set out in President Ursula von der Leyen 's Political Guidelines for 2024-2029 . These dialogues are important to ensure that young people's voice is heard and engages them in EU policymaking. (For more information: Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Fiorella Boigner - Tel.: +32 2 299 37 34) EU Global Health Policy Forum to discuss Europe's international health priorities Tomorrow, Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi will participate in the EU Global Health Policy Forum in Brussels. The annual Forum brings together governments, health experts, international organisations, civil society, private sector actors, and other stakeholders to discuss key topics around global health. This year's Forum will focus on the recently adopted Global Health Resilience Initiative . The Forum is an opportunity to reaffirm the EU's commitment and leading role in global health, as well as to foster constructive dialogue and engagement with key stakeholders on the proposed priorities of the GHRI and its implementation. The Forum will open with a keynote speech from Commissioner Várhelyi and a video message from Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib . They will highlight the importance of effective international cooperation and multilateral action to promote the health and wellbeing of citizens in the EU and worldwide, as well as for strengthening preparedness for cross border health threats. After that, several panels will take place on topics ranging from health systems strengthening to local manufacturing, prevention, preparedness and response to global health threats, and the need to foster trust in science and counter disinformation. The Forum will also be an opportunity to take stock of the latest challenges facing the global health system and the importance of close cooperation on the global level, particularly in light of the ongoing outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Further information is available online. (For more information: Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray - Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73) 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/26/1476
Speech Brief