EU Plans Emergency Measures to Avert Jet-Fuel Shortage Amid Iran War

A war far from Europe is now threatening the fuel that keeps its summer travel season moving. Airlines, airports and policymakers are warning that a jet-fuel squeeze could push up fares, force cancellations and ground aircraft within weeks if Middle East supply disruptions do not ease.

The European Commission is drafting emergency measures ahead of a proposal due on April 22, including EU-wide mapping of oil-product refining capacity next month and steps to make sure existing capacity is fully used and maintained. The move reflects how quickly the conflict has turned from an energy-security risk into a consumer travel problem, with Brussels trying to head off shortages before the peak holiday months.

Europe’s exposure is severe. Roughly 75% of jet-fuel imports, about 375,000 barrels a day, come from the Middle East, and Europe consumed about 1.6 million barrels a day of jet fuel in 2025. Of that, about 500,000 barrels a day were imported. The blocking of the Strait of Hormuz has already cut off important flows, while shipments from the United States have surged to record levels as Europe tries to replace lost supply. Data from Kpler and LSEG show U.S. inflows are on track to reach between 149,000 and 200,000 barrels a day in April.

Even so, the cushion is thin. Stocks at the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub fell last week to their lowest since March 2023, and independent jet-fuel and kerosene inventories in ARA were about 646,000 metric tons, nearly 8% lower week-on-week. Airports have warned EU officials that some stocks could run dry within about three weeks. The European Commission said on April 14 that there is no shortage in the EU at the moment, but supply problems remain a top concern.

The International Energy Agency raised the stakes further on April 14, warning that Europe could begin seeing physical jet-fuel shortages by June if only half of the Middle Eastern supply is replaced. That warning exposed a gap in Europe’s emergency planning: the bloc has 90-day oil-stock obligations, but the rules do not specify how much of those reserves must be jet fuel.

The April 22 package is now being watched as a test of whether Europe can avoid a wider travel and trade disruption. Airlines have already pressed Brussels for joint fuel monitoring, procurement support and temporary relief measures, underscoring how quickly a refinery and shipping shock can spread to ticket prices, route networks and the summer holiday schedule.