Situation in the Middle East

In view of the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the College of Commissioners met on 13th April 2026 in Brussels. Right after, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a statement to the press in which she warned that the Middle East crisis has cost the EU €22 billion extra in fossil fuel imports in just 44 days, with no added supply. She called for urgent EU coordination on energy reserves, targeted aid for households, and temporary State aid rules by April. Long-term, she pushed for faster expansion of renewables and nuclear (now 70% of EU electricity) and electrification, backed by public funds and private investment. Concrete proposals will be finalised ahead of the informal European Council meeting in Cyprus next week.

For the full transcript of the statement, see here.