Two repatriation flights chartered by the European Commission have arrived in Romania from Oman, bringing back 356 European citizens stranded in the Middle East. This operation represents a significant development, as it is the first instance in which the Commission has utilised its own rescEU transport and logistics capabilities in response to a request from Romanian authorities.
Since September 2025, passenger planes have been part of rescEU for consular support. The EU coordinates transport costs for repatriation flights, with the Commission covering up to 100% of those costs under rescEU. Member States manage the consular aspects of these operations, including seat allocation for citizens from other nations. EU Delegations help ensure that all EU citizens can access this assistance.
This initiative marks an important milestone in enhancing the operational tools of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). The deployment of rescEU capacities was coordinated by the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). In situations where EU Member States or Participating States of the UCPM are unable to provide transport resources in response to an assistance request, the rescEU framework can be activated, offering an additional layer of support when national capacities are insufficient.
“When crisis strikes, Europe is there for its people. When national capacities reach their limits, the EU steps in with strong support. For the first time, rescEU planes are in the skies to repatriate European citizens stranded in the Middle East. Our Civil Protection Mechanism is working day and night to bring European citizens home. Europe, standing together in times of crisis,” said Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.
To date, the EU has facilitated 42 repatriation flights, successfully returning over 4,100 European citizens to various countries, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden. Additional flights are planned in the coming days, as 23 countries have requested EU assistance. These countries include Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Ireland, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.
The Commission, in coordination with the European External Action Service and the EU Delegations on the ground, remains fully committed to supporting these repatriation efforts. Ongoing communication with EU Delegations and consular authorities of Member States in the region continues to ensure a coordinated response to this matter.
