European Commission - Daily News Daily News 06 / 07 / 2026 Brussels, 6 July 2026 EU deploys wildfire support to face multiple fires across Portugal and France As Europe is fighting wildfires in several Member States, the Commission is swiftly mobilising assistance via the European Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) . Over the weekend, Portugal and France have activated the UCPM due to devastating wildfires, with sever...
European Commission - Daily News Daily News 06 / 07 / 2026 Brussels, 6 July 2026 EU deploys wildfire support to face multiple fires across Portugal and France As Europe is fighting wildfires in several Member States, the Commission is swiftly mobilising assistance via the European Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) . Over the weekend, Portugal and France have activated the UCPM due to devastating wildfires, with several of them active simultaneously and burning thousands of hectares. France activated the UCPM on 5 July. The European Commission has mobilised four rescEU airplanes from Sweden and Cyprus, expected to arrive to the affected areas today. Portugal activated the Mechanism on 3 July. 118 firefighters and 45 vehicles from Spain arrived on site a few hours after the activation and three rescEU firefighting aircrafts from Italy and Spain were deployed. This year, the Commission has deployed a record number of firefighters to combat wildfires. 777 firefighters from 14 European countries are already or soon will be strategically pre-positioned in high-risk areas across Cyprus, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. In parallel, 22 firefighting airplanes and five helicopters from the EU fleet are ready to support countries under pressure. Commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management, Hadja Lahbib said: “As Portugal and France face an extreme wildfire threat during this severe heatwave, every minute matters. I am proud to see the EU Civil Protection Mechanism once again delivering swift support when it is needed most. Firefighting aircraft, ground teams and vehicles from Sweden, Cyprus, Italy and Spain are already helping emergency crews on the ground. In the face of these devastating fires, Europe stands together. We are united in our determination to protect lives, communities, livelihoods and our natural environment." Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, countries affected by wildfires can request operational assistance. The EU has also established rescEU, a strategic reserve of emergency capacities designed to provide additional support during large-scale crises. Recognising the rising risks of wildfires with climate change, the Commission presented a new integrated approach to wildfire risk management in March 2026, which provides guidance on how to better prevent, prepare for, respond and recover from wildfires. (Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray - Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73) Commission report highlights achievements of EU rules on animal health Ten years after its adoption, the European Commission has published an evaluation of the EU Animal Health Law . The evaluation and accompanying report highlight the positive impact that the legislation has had in tackling animal diseases, while also presenting areas for improvement. Animal diseases can have devastating consequences for farmers and rural communities, and impact public health, economies and trade. The Animal Health Law has helped to reduce these impacts and control diseases while providing a strong framework for preventative, risk-based animal health measures across the EU. Maintaining high standards of animal health is one of the reasons why the EU is the biggest exporter of agricultural goods in the world. At the same time, the Commission has identified certain areas where further work is needed to harness the full benefits of the law. These include more even application of the rules across Member States, a better adaptable disease categorisation system in the face of new and emerging threats, and potentially greater use of vaccination as a preventative tool. The current animal health framework is based on the latest scientific knowledge and is continuously updated when needed. The evaluation has been published ahead of a high-level conference to mark 10 years of the Animal Health Law, which will take place in Brussels on 8 July and will be opened by Olivér Várhelyi , Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare. This event will be an opportunity to discuss its implementation, achievements of the framework, and future challenges. The conference can be followed online . (For more information: Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray - Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73) EU agricultural markets remain robust despite uncertainties and rising input costs EU agricultural markets are expected to remain robust in 2026, according to the summer 2026 edition of the short-term outlook report for EU agricultural markets , published today by the European Commission. To note, this report does not take into account the ongoing heatwaves which are severely affecting famers all across Europe, as the data used were collected prior to the ongoing heatwaves. The sector continues to face significant uncertainty linked to the repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East, weather-related risks, animal diseases and persistent trade tensions. Rising input costs are putting pressure on producer margins. Real GDP growth is forecasted at 1.1%, inflation is expected to rise to 3.1% driven by energy costs, and food prices are set to increase. At the same time, the outlook points to favourable crop conditions in the EU, with winter crop yields expected above the historical average. However, spring and summer crops may suffer from heat and water shortages, particularly in drought-prone regions. For arable and specialised crops, EU cereal production in 2026/27 is estimated to return to average at 273.7 million tonnes, after exceptionally high yields in the past season. Oilseeds production is expected to rise by 3.1%. Production of protein crops is forecasted to slightly decline but to remain above average, while EU sugar production may decline due to lower area under sugar beet production. Olive oil production is expected to decline from previous production recovery in 2024/25 but to remain above average in 2025/26. In the case of animal products, EU milk supply is forecast to grow in 2026, driven by higher yields. Increased raw milk availability may boost butter, cheese, whey, and skimmed milk powder production, while exports stay resilient despite weaker Middle East demand and trade disruptions. Poultry production is set to grow, driven by strong demand and high prices. By contrast, beef production is forecasted to decline in 2026 and 2027 due to a declining cow herd. EU balance sheets are available in the aqri-food data portal . More details are available online. (For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 2 296 97 76; Kateřina Horáková - Tel.: +32 2 299 93 10) Commission clears acquisition of Schroders by Nuveen The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of Schroders plc of the UK by Nuveen, LLC of the US. The transaction relates primarily to asset management. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies' limited combined market position resulting from the proposed transaction. 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.12392 . (For more information: Siobhan McGarry– Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83) 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/26/1521
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