The European Commission is consulting Member States on a crisis aid framework for particularly vulnerable economic sectors in response to the Middle East crisis. Hard-hit industries could benefit from expanded support options and relaxed requirements. The focus is on, among other things, energy prices, energy-intensive industries and selected sectors. The following article outlines the specific measures that are planned.
The planned framework
On 13 April 2026, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Commission is drawing up a new Temporary Crisis Framework (TCF) for state aid. The instrument is intended to support the EU economy in the wake of the Middle East crisis. It involves a temporary and targeted relaxation of EU state aid rules, without altering the fundamental principles of European competition law. The legal basis is Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, which permits sector-specific aid to counter unexpected economic risks.
