EU: Temporary State aid framework in response to Middle East crisis
Effective until December 31, 2026
The European Commission (EC) on April 29, 2026, adopted the Middle East crisis Temporary State aid Framework (METSAF)—a temporary State aid framework to enable member states to support the EU economy in the context of the Middle East crisis, effective until December 31, 2026.
The framework is a targeted and temporary framework to address the effects of the crisis on some of the most exposed sectors of the economy: agriculture, fishery, transport, and energy-intensive industries.
- Support can take various forms for companies active in the agriculture, fishery, and transport sectors, including aid based on actual consumption to cover part of the price increases for fuel or fertilizers, and a simplified approach for small amounts of aid.
- The METSAF also includes a temporary adjustment to the Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework (CISAF) allowing for further flexibility and higher aid intensities to address electricity price spikes.
Measures under the METSAF will have to be notified to the EC, but the framework will allow for a fast approval process.
Read the related EC release