Source: European Parliament
1. The Commission is continuously monitoring the situation in Lebanon and the Middle East, including within the framework of the EU Migration Preparedness and Crisis Blueprint[1], ensuring common situational awareness and information sharing with the Member States, the European External Action Service and EU Agencies to monitor and anticipate migration movements, and to ensure preparedness and operational support as needed.
2. The Commission stands ready to further support Member States, including Greece and Cyprus with whom there are regular contacts, in managing upcoming migration management challenges, by continuing its financial and operational support, with the support of EU Agencies[2]. The Commission remains committed to the implementation of the action plan for the Eastern Mediterranean[3]. In the context of the ongoing implementation process for the Pact on Migration and Asylum[4], the Commission supports Member States in addressing shortcomings and completing reforms to ensure the establishment of a well-prepared migration management system by 2026, including measures to ensure preparedness, contingency planning and crisis response.
3. To support Member States in addressing needs with regards to migration management and border management, the Commission provides support through the Home Affairs Funds[5]. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)[6] allows Member States and UCPM participating states to request assistance, including from the Commission’s emergency stockpiles (rescEU)[7], to provide relief materials to countries in need of extra resources. The Mechanism already delivered shelter materials to Cyprus in October 2023, in preparation for a potential arrival of a large number of people from the Middle East.
- [1] Commission Recommendation (EU) 2020/1366 of 23 September 2020 on an EU mechanism for preparedness and management of crises related to migration.
- [2] EU Asylum Agency (EUAA), Frontex, Europol.
- [3] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-action-plan-eastern-mediterranean-migration-2023-10-18_en
- [4] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/pact-migration-and-asylum_en
- [5] The 2021-2027 Home Affairs Funds programmes of Greece amount to more than EUR 1.5 billion while under the programmes of Cyprus more than EUR 188 million have been made available.
- [6] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/eu-civil-protection-mechanism_en
- [7] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/resceu_en