EU eyes jet‑fuel buffers
- After supply risks highlighted by the Iran war, EU officials are weighing rules to force member states to hold and redistribute jet fuel stocks. - Coverage cites the IEA warning Europe may have roughly six weeks of jet fuel reserves left. - Airlines have already cut routes and carriers such as KLM flagged flight cancellations as fuel prices and availability tighten ( ).
The European Commission is weighing rules that would make European Union countries hold and share jet fuel stocks in a supply crunch. (ec.europa.eu) Brussels set out the idea on April 22 in an emergency energy package called AccelerateEU. The package says national measures to safeguard jet fuel and diesel should be closely coordinated, and a new Fuel Observatory would track production, imports, exports and stock levels across the bloc. (ec.europa.eu) A Commission factsheet says the observatory would map supply, prioritize alternative jet-fuel sourcing and optimize distribution. It also says Brussels will assess Europe’s refining capacity and work on measures to ensure full use of domestic refineries. (ec.europa.eu) The push follows weeks of disruption tied to the war that began on February 28 and choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The International Energy Agency says flows through the waterway have plunged, Gulf refining capacity has shut in, and jet-fuel benchmark prices in Asia more than doubled in March. (iea.org) The International Energy Agency also says Gulf producers exported 3.3 million barrels a day of refined products in 2025, including fuels Europe depends on for aviation. More than 3 million barrels a day of refining capacity in the region has already shut because of attacks and blocked export routes. (iea.org) Europe is not facing an immediate oil or gas supply emergency, according to the Commission, but officials say the recent Hormuz disruption exposed how vulnerable imported fossil fuels can be. In 2024, petroleum products including crude oil made up 67% of the European Union’s energy imports. (energy.ec.europa.eu) Airlines have already started cutting capacity as costs rise. KLM said on April 16 that it would cancel 80 return flights within Europe over the coming month because rising kerosene costs made them uneconomic, while saying there was “no kerosene shortage.” (news.klm.com) Other carriers have signaled broader pressure on fares and schedules. The Independent, citing Reuters reporting, said KLM planned to cancel 160 European flights in the coming month and that Air France-KLM would raise long-haul ticket prices by 50 euros per round trip to offset fuel costs. (independent.co.uk) The International Energy Agency’s April oil report says global oil supply fell by 10.1 million barrels a day in March and refinery runs in the Middle East and Asia were cut by about 6 million barrels a day in April. That is the backdrop for Brussels’ new focus on stockpiles that can be moved where airports need them most. (iea.org)
