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European Commission: Up to 1.3 million jobs in the EU at risk from war in the Middle East
2026-06-03 16:05:53 / BOTA
"Up to 1.3 million jobs across the EU are at risk due to the ongoing war in the Middle East," European Commissioner for Employment, Roxana Mînzatu, said on Wednesday.
The warning came during the presentation of the 2026 Spring Semester Package, a biennial publication from the EU executive that provides guidance to the 27 member states on the bloc's economic priorities.
"Due to the war in the Middle East, up to 1.3 million jobs are at risk, especially in energy-intensive industries," Mînzatu said at a press conference.
"Let me also underline that rising energy costs will have a particularly negative impact on low-income households in Europe, which is why we recommend that all Member States take targeted measures so that they can support vulnerable groups," the Commissioner added.
The conflict, which began when Israel and the US launched attacks on Iran in late February this year, has already had tangible effects on the European economy, with energy prices rising as a result. According to the latest European economic forecasts published in May, the war has slowed European growth while pushing inflation higher.
Economic data on growth and inflation vary significantly across the EU, an inequality that the Commission considers a threat to competitiveness.
The package devotes considerable space to employment, focusing on the promotion of quality jobs and on how EU countries can address persistent shortages of skilled workers in strategically important sectors.
"Improving educational outcomes and better aligning people's skills with labor market needs remain key priorities, also to address workforce and skills shortages that are particularly acute in strategic sectors such as cybersecurity, quantum intelligence, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors," the Semester Package states.
At the press conference, Mînzatu said that 77 percent of European companies report that the lack of qualified personnel remains a significant obstacle to investment. She identified poor working conditions as the main cause of these shortages.
"We cannot attract talent, we cannot reduce shortages, we cannot improve people's incomes without ensuring that we have good working conditions," said the Commissioner.
Since the beginning of this mandate, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made competitiveness one of the Commission's top priorities, as geopolitical uncertainties grow.
The latest Semester package reflects this, focusing on how Europe can strengthen its position on the global stage.
In particular, the bloc wants to reduce economic barriers in the single market, create a more business-friendly environment for companies and capital, and minimize strategic dependencies – especially on China and the US.
To this end, the Commission is pushing Member States towards a stronger industrial policy, greater investment in capital markets and a simplification agenda that would, among other things, reduce administrative burdens in both the private and public sectors.
In parallel, the Commission is working to accelerate economic reforms at the EU level, although progress depends heavily on the willingness of member states to act – a long-term coordination challenge.
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