European Commission - Daily News Daily News 30 / 10 / 2026 Brussels, 30 October 2026 EU announces establishment and composition of PreparEU Advisory Group on European Disaster Preparedness Today, the European Commission is establishing the PreparEU Advisory Group, tasked with providing strategic advice to President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen , and Commissioner for Equality; Preparedness and Crisis Manage...
European Commission - Daily News Daily News 30 / 10 / 2026 Brussels, 30 October 2026 EU announces establishment and composition of PreparEU Advisory Group on European Disaster Preparedness Today, the European Commission is establishing the PreparEU Advisory Group, tasked with providing strategic advice to President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen , and Commissioner for Equality; Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib , on how to best address accelerating disaster risks, including extreme weather events and wildfires. President Ursula von der Leyen said: “As climate change drives increasingly extreme weather and natural disasters, Europe is here to help. We need to think bigger and learn faster. This is why we are bringing Europe's most experienced firefighters and emergency responders together - to draw on their experience to make Europe better prepared. From stronger civil-military coordination to the equipment and capabilities we need. They will make concrete proposals to make EU civil protection even more effective. So that European solidarity will always be there when disaster strikes.” The Group was announced by President von der Leyen in her State of the Union speech of 16 September 2026. It will be composed of 11 senior experts with a background in EU civil protection and crisis management and 6 scientists and academics, from different EU Member States. The Advisory Group will look at the existing capacities of EU Member States under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and rescEU . It will examine the immediate and longer-term impact of natural hazards such as extreme weather and wildfires, technological and other emerging risks and threats, as well as their possible effects on mass movements, emergency health, shelter, communications and the management of consequences arising from critical infrastructure disruption. The Group will discuss prevention and preparedness in the context of the rapidly evolving risk landscape, possible development of new capabilities, including regarding dual use assets and the European Firefighting Fleet. The Group will hold its first meeting in early November 2026 with the goal of presenting its recommendations to President von der Leyen and Commissioner Lahbib by spring 2027. More information is available in the press release . (For more information: Eva Hrncirova – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortes - Tel: +32 2 291 32 83) Europeans overwhelmingly support stronger EU civil protection cooperation based on solidarity, new Eurobarometer shows Europeans continue to show very strong support for a coordinated European approach to disaster preparedness and response, according to the latest Special Eurobarometer on EU Civil Protection published today by the European Commission. As Europe faces growing risks and increasingly complex natural hazards and human-induced disasters, nine in ten Europeans think it is important that the EU helps coordinate disaster response both within its territories and other countries, while 94% agree that Member States should support one another when a disaster overwhelms a country's ability to cope on its own. Bolstering this view, 91% of respondents agree that the coordinated EU action should be strengthened even further to deal more effectively with disasters and crises in the future . Support also extends beyond the EU's borders: 91% of respondents believe European assistance should be provided to countries outside the EU facing major disasters . Overall, the findings underline the importance Europeans continue to give to solidarity, preparedness and collective action in the face of disasters that know no borders and increasingly require shared solutions. More information is available in the press release . (For more information: Eva Hrncirova – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortes - Tel: +32 2 291 32 83) Commission disburses almost €6.5 billion to France, Austria and Luxembourg under NextGenerationEU Today, the European Commission disbursed €6.1 billion to France , €306 million to Austria , and €92.2 million to Luxembourg , under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU, the Commission's post-pandemic programme to support Member States' recovery, economic growth and competitiveness. These payments reflect the successful delivery of key reforms and investments set out in the three countries' recovery and resilience plans. They help turn EU commitments into real improvements in people's daily lives, while supporting a more sustainable, resilient and competitive economy in each country. France has now received 100% of the funding allocated under its plan , with all 176 milestones and targets successfully fulfilled. Similarly, Austria has now received €3.96 billion , equivalent to 100% of its total RRF allocation . Lastly, Luxembourg's plan is financed by €241 million in grants and with this third payment, it has now received 76% of its total allocation under the plan. More information is available in the press release online. (For more information: Maciej Berestecki - Tel: +32 229-66483; Isabel Arriaga e Cunha – Tel: +32 229-52117) Commission greenlights Czechia's seventh and final payment request for €951 million under NextGenerationEU Today, the European Commission greenlighted Czechia's seventh payment request worth €951 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility , the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. This represents an important step in delivering the reforms and investments linked to this payment request across key areas such as housing, energy efficiency renovations, grids, educational, medical and social infrastructure, and cybersecurity. The Commission found that Czechia has satisfactorily fulfilled the 13 milestones and 25 targets set out in the Council Implementing Decision . Today's payment request would bring the funds paid out to Czechia under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to €8.6 billion (including the €915 million in pre-financing it received in September 2021 and the €147 million pre-payment under REPowerEU it received on 21 December 2023). This corresponds to 99.4% of the total funds allocated under the Czech plan, taking into account the €48.81 million decommitment resulting from the partial fulfilment of milestone 193 in Czechia's third payment request . More information in the press release online. (For further information: Maciej Berestecki – Tel.: +32 2 296 64 83; Anna Wartberger – Tel.: +32 2 28 20 54) Commission approves additional €212 million French State aid for agricultural and aquaculture companies facing increased fuel prices The European Commission has approved a €212 million budget increase and an extension of the eligibility period for a French State aid scheme for agricultural and aquaculture companies facing increased fuel prices due to the Middle East crisis. The amendment was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF) adopted by the Commission on 29 April 2026 . The original scheme aimed to mitigate the impact of the increase in non-road diesel fuel prices ( gazole non routier , ‘GNR') on companies active in the production of agricultural and aquaculture products. It was approved by the Commission on 22 June 2026 with a €212 million budget to help companies for their fuel expenses for the period covering May to August 2026. France notified a budget increase of €212 million, bringing the total budget to €424 million, and extended the eligible period of fuel expenses to cover the months of September to December 2026. The Commission assessed the amendment under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as Sections 1 and 2.1 of the METSAF. The Commission found that the amended scheme remains in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF. In particular, aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated budget and will be provided to temporarily support the development of companies active in primary production of agricultural and aquaculture products. The Commission concluded that the amended scheme 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. On this basis, the Commission approved the French amendment under EU State aid rules. More information on the METSAF is available online. The non-confidential versions of today's decision will be made available under case number SA.124997, in the State aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74) Commission approves €3 million Portuguese State aid for agricultural companies in the Azores facing increased fuel and fertiliser prices The European Commission has approved a €3 million Portuguese State aid scheme for farmers in the Azores facing increased fuel and fertiliser 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 scheme, which will run until 31 December 2026, aims to mitigate the impact of the increase in fuel and fertiliser prices on companies active in the primary production of agricultural products in the Azores. The aid will take the form of direct grants . The maximum aid will be €50,000 per company. The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as Sections 1 and 2.1 of the METSAF. The Commission found that the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF. In particular, the aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated budget and will be provided to temporarily support the development of companies active in primary production of agricultural products. The Commission concluded that the scheme 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. On this basis, the Commission approved the Portuguese scheme under EU State aid rules. More information on the METSAF is available online. The non-confidential versions of today's decision will be made available under case number SA.125094, in the State aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74) Commission approves €29 .3 million German State aid to support construction of new rail- road freight terminal The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €29.3 million German State aid measure to support the construction of a multimodal rail-road freight terminal at the main railway station of Stolberg, close to Aachen (the ‘EUREGIO terminal'). The aid will promote the shift in freight transport from road to rail, in line with the objectives of the EU Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy . The EUREGIO terminal is planned to become operational in 2035 and to reach full capacity in 2037. The aid will take the form of a direct grant to EVS EUREGIO Verkehrsschienennetz GmbH, the future owner of the EUREGIO terminal. The Commission assessed the measure under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 93 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, under the conditions set out in the Land and Multimodal Transport Guidelines . The Commission found that the measure is necessary and appropriate to promote the use of rail transport, which is less polluting than road transport and contributes to reducing road congestion. Furthermore, the Commission found that the aid will have an ‘incentive effect' as the beneficiary would not carry out the investment without public support. Finally, the Commission concluded that the measure is proportionate , as it is limited to the minimum necessary, and has a limited impact on competition and trade between Member States. On this basis, the Commission approved the German measure under EU State aid rules. The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.122481 in the State aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74) Commission clears acquisition of Optio by Cinven Limited and La Caisse The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Optio Group Limited (‘Optio') by Cinven Limited, both of the UK, and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (‘La Caisse') of Canada. The transaction relates primarily to specialised insurance services and insurance brokerage. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies' limited market positions 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.12594 . (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Sara Simonini – Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67) Commission clears acquisition of BSG by Portobello and Bluegem The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Béaba Suavinex Group SAS (‘BSG') of France by Portobello Capital Fondo V, FCR (‘Portobello') of Spain and Bluegem IV, SCSp (‘Bluegem') of Luxembourg. The transaction relates to the distribution of premium baby and infant care products, mainly in Spain and France. 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.12600 . (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Sara Simonini – Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67) Commission clears creation of joint venture by KI Group and OCP Group The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture by KAES Phosphate Holdings LLC (‘KI Group') of the US and OCP Nutricrops S.A. (‘OCP Group') of Morocco. The transaction relates primarily to the production of phosphoric acid and phosphate-based (‘P- based') fertilizers. 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.12624 . (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Sara Simonini – Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67) ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Lahbib to open the 9 th European Civil Protection Forum On Tuesday, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib , will open the 9 th edition of the European Civil Protection Forum. The Forum, taking place on 3 and 4 Novembre, will bring together over 1,900 participants from around 80 nationalities, including high- level representatives, civil protection professionals, first responders and experts, to discuss crisis preparedness and response and showcase innovative solutions to strengthen Europe's resilience. This year's edition will mark the 25th anniversary of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism , which enables countries hit by disasters to request emergency assistance from across Europe. Testimonials from beneficiaries will highlight the Mechanism's impact on the ground. Participants will include representatives of national civil protection authorities, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, non-governmental organisations, businesses, as well as two participants of the Citizens' Panel on Preparedness held earlier this year. Around 100 young people aged 18–30, including young firefighters and representatives of youth organisations, will also take part in the Forum. The event will feature a Civil Protection Village with almost 60 organisations across 50 stands to showcase a wide range of projects and initiatives in civil protection and crisis preparedness, including EU-led projects. Seven live outdoor demonstrations open to the public will present equipment, technologies and operational solutions for disaster preparedness and response. A first-ever Speakers' Corner will also offer short, engaging talks on civil protection and crisis preparedness. Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said: “ When floods rise, wildfires rage, the ground shakes or in any other disaster, no country should face these alone. In our darkest moments, Europe stands together. For 25 years, and more than 900 times, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has turned solidarity into action, sending firefighters toward the flames, rescue teams into the rubble, and vital support to communities in Europe and around the world. At the European Civil Protection Forum, we will build on that solidarity together to strengthen our resilience and anticipate future crises. ” For further information and livestreams, visit the European Civil Protection Forum 2026 webpage . (For more information: Eva Hrnčířová — Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortès - Tel: +32 2 291 32 83) Commissioner Hansen participates in EU High-Level Dialogue on Agriculture in Türkiye On Monday, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen , will be in Türkiye to participate in the third EU High-Level Dialogue on Agriculture. The first such dialogue took place in Ankara in May 2022, and the second dialogue was held in Brussels in November 2023. The High-Level Dialogue will focus on agri-food trade relations between the EU and Türkiye, the EU's fifth-largest trading partner, as well as food security in the current geopolitical context, including the situation in the Black Sea. Commissioner Hansen will meet his counterpart, İbrahim Yumaklı, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye, to further exchange on these issues. Commissioner Hansen will also visit the Farmus Agriculture apple orchards, an IPARD ( Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance Rural Development Programme )-funded project in Türkiye, showcasing the programme's contribution to rural development. The investment notably included the use of renewable energies in processing operations. (For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 229-69776; 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/26/2307 <@rel_link@>
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