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On 15 July, the European Parliament Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) held an exchange of views with experts on the implications of the Middle East crisis for aviation fuel supply and the competitiveness of the EU aviation sector, highlighting the need to strengthen the sector's long-term resilience.

Professor David Chiaramonti of the Politecnico di Torino outlined the EU's response to the current situation, emphasising the diversification of jet fuel supply, increased refining capacity and the expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. While noting that SAF remains significantly more expensive than conventional jet fuel, he indicated that costs are expected to decline as production technologies mature and stressed the importance of stable long-term policies to encourage investment.

Professor Aisling Reynolds-Feighan of University College Dublin highlighted the measures already taken by airlines to mitigate fuel price volatility, including fuel hedging, fleet renewal and operational efficiency improvements. She also recommended introducing minimum jet fuel stock requirements, postponing additional regulatory costs, improving the transparency of fuel price data and establishing regular reporting of key performance indicators to strengthen the resilience of the EU aviation sector.

The discussion also addressed issues related to the sustainability of SAF feedstocks and the need to strike an appropriate balance between reporting requirements and administrative burdens.

Source: European Parliament