02/11/2023 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday, 31 October, representatives from EU Member States green-lit the European Commission’s proposal to extend the transitional period for the rescEU strategic reserve of aerial firefighting resources beyond 2023 and until 31 December 2027. The aim is to enable Member States—in the event there are forest fires that are beyond their capacities to fight—to have recourse to these resources under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism while the European Commission acquires new aircraft, the first of which will not be available until 2027. The European Parliament already voted in favour of this extension on 17 October (see EUROPE 13273/28). The decision amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU (as proposed by the European Commission in April 2023) will be formally adopted without debate during an upcoming meeting of the EU Council. For more information: https://aeur.eu/f/9cz (AN)