EU brings over 8,000 European citizens home amid Middle East escalation

Two repatriation flights chartered directly by the European Commission have just landed in Warsaw, Poland, bringing back 303 European citizens that were stranded in the Middle East.

This adds to the more than 70 flights coordinated by the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). Over 8,000 European citizens are home today thanks to the EU mobilisation, bringing them safely back to Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden.

Departing from Saudi Arabia and Oman, the latest two flights to Warsaw transported 227 Polish nationals and 76 citizens from other European countries who had been stranded in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. For the second time, the Commission mobilised its own transport capacity under rescEU, following a request from the Polish authorities.

“The EU solidarity in full action. Thanks to EU repatriation flights, more than 8,000 people have already returned safely from the Middle East. Today, we chartered two additional flights landing in Poland, bringing families, children, and people who simply wanted to return home,” said Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib. “We will continue to protect our citizens wherever they are, stepping in to help when challenges are too great for any one country to face alone”.

The EU plays a key role in supporting repatriation flights. Following a request for assistance, the ERCC promptly coordinates the demand and offers of transport capacities between countries. These transport operations can be co-financed by the EU. The Centre can also charter planes itself if no country is able to offer assistance at a given moment.

More repatriation flights, including with rescEU planes, are planned in the coming days, as a total of 23 countries have requested EU assistance in repatriating their citizens from the Middle East.