Iran war: How many European citizens has the EU repatriated?

As the warfare successful the Middle East rages on, thousands of flights successful the portion person been cancelled.

Although the full fig of European nationals presently successful the Middle East is not known, the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) has supported astir 90 flights bringing citizens backmost to 14 EU countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The ERCC has 2 schemes with antithetic disbursal coverage. The EU tin screen up to 75% of repatriation costs for nationalist flights, provided that astatine slightest 30% of disposable seats are offered to citizens of different EU countries.

However, if nary subordinate authorities tin assist, the European Commission tin besides organise afloat funded flights done the rescEU mechanism.

More than 11,000 European citizens trapped successful the Middle East person been repatriated connected EU-funded flights, according to a European Commission connection connected 16 March.

Last week, the 5th evacuation formation with 134 European citizens landed successful Bucharest, Romania, pursuing a petition from the Romanian authorities.

The formation departed from Oman and transported 96 Romanian nationals and 38 citizens from different European countries, who had been stranded successful the United Arab Emirates.

The EU besides covered up to 75% of the roadworthy transport costs that passengers incurred to scope Oman.

The different 4 EU-funded repatriation flights happened successful the 2nd week of March, the archetypal brought backmost 356 European citizens from Oman to Romania.

The pursuing 2 flights landed successful Warsaw, Poland, bringing backmost 303 European citizens, of whom 277 were Polish nationals and 76 citizens from different European countries.

These citizens had been stranded successful Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

So far, a full of 23 countries person requested EU assistance successful repatriating their citizens from the Middle East.

"We volition proceed to support our citizens wherever they are, stepping successful to assistance erstwhile challenges are excessively large for immoderate 1 state to look alone," said Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, successful a statement.

Repatriation plans connected a nationalist level

Across the EU, governments person besides carried retired repatriations and developed plans for the ones inactive stranded successful the Middle East.

In Greece, the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced connected 20 March that much than 2,000 Greek citizens returned safely from the warfare zone.

This cognition was carried retired by onshore from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem to Egypt, arsenic good arsenic from Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar to Saudi Arabia. Additional flights were arranged to bring citizens backmost Oman, the Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

In Italy, astir 25,000 Italian nationals, who were successful the portion for tourism oregon arsenic immigrants, person returned to their homeland.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates that determination are astir 90,000 Italians successful the Middle East and the Gulf region, according to the department's latest note.

In France, astir 20,000 French nationals person been repatriated from the Middle East, according to the authorities spokeswoman, Maud Bregeon, connected 11 March.

It is estimated that astir 400,000 French radical unrecorded oregon were travelling successful the portion erstwhile the warfare erupted.

Spain has besides carried retired the evacuation of 8,000 Spaniards since the opening of the war, according to a press release connected 13 March.