The European Commission is rejecting demands to clamp down on air travel following an emergency meeting of EU transport ministers amid a deepening concerns over the EU’s dwindling supplies of kerosene.
With Western Europe’s most important jet fuel stockpile, the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp cluster, hitting a six-year low, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned reserves could run dry in just six weeks and is recommending that flying should be avoided whenever possible.
But the EU executive, which is due to present an energy crisis action plan this week, appears to have no intention of passing this advice on to European citizens.
“There is no need at this point at this point to intervene in how people live and travel,” transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said after a video call with ministers on Tuesday. “There is no evidence of actual shortages,” he told reporters in Brussels.
“I can tell you that there is no safer, more stable and more beautfiul place to visit than Europe this summer,” said the Greek politician, whose portolio also covers EU tourism policy.
Emerging from the first meeting of European transport ministers since the closure of the entrance to the Persian Gulf – which was the source of 15% of the bloc’s jet fuel supplies – sent energy markets into turmoil seven weeks ago, Tzitzikostas said the Commission was counting on remaining reserves and easing regulation on fuel purchasing.
“Europe maintains emergency stocks, these stocks can be and will be released if necessary,” he said.
At the same time, Brussels is looking at relaxing rules that force airlines to buy 90% of their fuel at EU airports – bringing one’s own fuel into Europe was banned due to environmental concerns. US-style jet fuel, known as Type A, may similarly see its import ban lifted.
Both demands are part of a long list, seen by Euractiv, of demands drawn up by European industry as the Commission formulates its crisis response plan, dubbed ‘AccelerateEU’ and due to be presented on 22 April.
According to leaked drafts, it is set to include a jet fuel observatory – giving Brussels a real understanding of potential shortages by filling in data gaps – and potentially a system of ‘voluntary’ fuel sharing among EU countries.
Jet fuel crisis spat shows Europe’s energy blind spot
European politicians clashing over a potential jet fuel crisis just shows how little data the…
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