Commission proposes to top up support for refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey

The European Commission has today proposed to top up support for refugees and host communities in response to the Syria crisis by a total of €585 million. Out of the amount proposed today, €100 million will go to Jordan and Lebanon, who are hosting the largest number of refugees per capita in the world. €485 million will support refugees in Turkey in 2020 and continue the EU's two flagship humanitarian programmes.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “The EU has consistently supported refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan for many years. As the coronavirus threatens the most vulnerable, we cannot stop our lifesaving assistance. We are committed to helping the Syrian people and their host countries during these difficult times. EU humanitarian aid will help children attend school and support families in need.”

Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Várhelyi said: “The European Union continues to show strong solidarity with our partner countries Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, as well as with the refugees they are hosting. With no immediate end in sight of the Syrian crisis that continues to threat the region, it is in the EU's interest to increase support to reinforce the resilience of refugees and local communities that host them, especially in the current context of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Support in Jordan and Lebanon

EU projects will provide assistance in the areas of access to education, support to livelihoods and provision of health, sanitation, waste services and social protection to host communities and refugees - Syrian refugees and Palestine refugees from Syria - in Jordan and Lebanon.

Support in Turkey

EU humanitarian funding to partner organisations will help extend two established projects until the end of next year: the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) programme and the Conditional Cash Transfers for Education' (CCTE). Via the ESSN, the EU provides monthly financial assistance to more than 1.7 million refugees and the CCTE project helps over 600,000 refugee children regularly attend school. Today's amount will help extend the two programmes until the end of next year.

The proposal will now go to the European Parliament and the Council for their approval.

Background

So far, the EU and its Member States have mobilised more than €20 billion since 2011 to respond to the Syria crisis.