EU steps up humanitarian aid for Myanmar by pound 10.5 million as conflict claims more than 100,000 lives
The European Union is providing an additional pound 10.5 million in humanitarian aid for people affected by the conflict in Myanmar. This brings EU humanitarian support for the country to pound 49.1 million in 2026. More than 100,000 lives have now been lost since the military coup in February 2021.
EU humanitarian partners will, thanks to the new funding, provide life-saving assistance for people affected by conflict, displacement and disasters, including recent flash floods in several locations across the country. The assistance consists of emergency healthcare, food, protection, shelters, as well as water and sanitation equipment.
The deadly conflict in Myanmar remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Landmine contamination is a major issue as Myanmar tops the global list for casualties of landmine and explosive remnants of war.
‘The scale of Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis has changed beyond recognition in over the past five years. What was a crisis affecting around one million people, has now become one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, with 16.2 million people in need of assistance. Civilians live in daily fear for their lives, their coping capacities stretched to breaking point amid an economy in freefall, a collapsed health system, and one of the world’s worst hunger crises. We cannot allow this crisis to fade from international attention while millions continue to bear its human cost,’ said European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib.
As other donors retreat and humanitarian law faces unprecedented strain, the EU maintains its commitment: principled aid that reaches people in need, wherever they are.
Commission seeks views on new EU Strategy on victims’ rights
Today, the European Commission launched an open public consultation to gather feedback for its new EU Strategy on victims’ rights. To further strengthen victims’ rights, the Commission is inviting contributions from victims of crime, citizens as well as all relevant actors in the field, including victims’ rights experts and support services, law enforcement authorities, judicial bodies, civil society organisations, and academia.
In June this year, the EU adopted a revised Victims’ Rights Directive, which provides stronger protection and support for victims of crime, and makes it easier for them to access justice. The new Strategy will support the implementation of the revised Directive and build on the achievements of the previous Strategy on victims’ rights. This includes the creation of the Victims’ Rights Platform, a forum gathering all relevant actors working on victims’ rights, and the ‘Keep your Eyes Open’ campaign.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, said: ‘Crime is a trauma for millions of victims every year. They require full support and protection from public authorities. In the digital realm, cybercrimes operate on a large-scale across borders and can affect multiple victims simultaneously. We need everyone’s input to ensure that we increase the support to all victims of crime across the EU.’
Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, said: ‘No one expects to become the victim of a crime. That is why we, as public authorities, have a responsibility to ensure victims are protected and supported when they need it most. With the revised Victims’ Rights Directive, we have strengthened Europe’s rules. Now, we must ensure that those rights are a reality across the EU. That is what the new Strategy will deliver. We invite everyone to contribute because crime can affect anyone, and defending the rights of victims is a matter for all.’
The public consultation will run for 12 weeks. More information is available online.
Commission approves Maltese State aid for fishing companies facing increased fuel prices
The European Commission has approved a pound 700,000 Maltese State aid scheme to support companies active in primary production of fishery products facing increased fuel prices due to the Middle East crisis. The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF) adopted by the Commission on 29 April 2026.
The scheme aims to mitigate the impact of the increase in fuel prices resulting from the Middle East crisis. The aid will take the form of direct grants, based on the volume of fuel purchased between 1 March 2026 and 31 December 2026 and the monthly price difference with the pre-crisis benchmark of February 2026. The aid covers 70% of the additional costs. The scheme will run until 31 December 2026.
The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as Sections 1 and 2.1 of the METSAF.
The Commission found that the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF. In particular, aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated budget and will be provided to temporarily support the development of companies active in primary production of fishery products. The Commission concluded that the scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to facilitate the development of an economic activity and does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest. On this basis, the Commission approved the Maltese scheme under EU State aid rules.
More information on the METSAF can be found online. The non-confidential version of today’s decision will be made available under case number SA.124035, in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74)
Commission clears acquisition of Ionchi by Mercedes, BMW and Seres
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Beijing IONCHI New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (‘Ionchi’) by Mercedes-Benz Group China Ltd. (‘Mercedes’), BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (‘BMW’) and Seres Group Co., Ltd. (‘Seres’), all of China. Ionchi is currently jointly controlled by Mercedes and BMW.
The transaction relates primarily to the operation of public high-power charging infrastructure and charging service networks for electric vehicles in China.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the limited impact on the European Economic Area. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12510.
Commission clears acquisition of Everllence by Volkswagen and Bain Capital
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Everllence SE by Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (‘Volkswagen’), both of Germany, and Bain Capital Investors, LLC (‘Bain Capital’) of the US.
The transaction relates primarily to propulsion, decarbonisation and efficiency solutions for the marine, energy and industrial sectors.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the companies are not active in the same or vertically related markets. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12527.
Commission clears acquisition of Connexion and BLDNG by Verdane
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Telenor Connexion AB (‘Connexion’) of Sweden by Verdane IoT TopCo AS (‘Verdane’) of Sweden and Telenor ASA of Norway, and the acquisition of sole control of BLDNG.ai AS (‘BLDNG’) of Norway by Verdane. These acquisitions are part of a wider transaction and constitute a single concentration under the EU Merger Regulation.
The transaction relates primarily to the provision of internet-of-things (IoT) connectivity and related data analytics services.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies’ limited market positions resulting from the proposed transaction. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12476.