European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius urged Europe to retain refining and fuel transport capacity for a possible military crisis, citing a NATO planning model for moving and sustaining 100,000 troops during the first 10 days.
Kubilius described the troop requirement as planning for a possible crisis, not a prediction that conflict will occur. He said readiness also depends on maintaining fuel production, competitive refining, transport routes usable during an emergency and resilient critical infrastructure.
EU refineries supply about 70% of Europe’s jet fuel and 85% of its diesel, according to the European Commission. In an update published Oct. 22, the Commission said supplies of both products were tight, based on the Oil Coordination Group’s Oct. 21 assessment, but that neither faced a physical shortage in Europe.
At its first dialogue with oil refiners on Oct. 28, the Commission also addressed near-term disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East and the sector’s long-term viability. The talks focused on making existing capacity and supply chains better able to meet increased demand, including for defense, the Commission said.
To improve fuel access on NATO’s eastern flank, Kubilius proposed examining whether the Central European Pipeline System could be expanded. He described the Cold War-era network as serving western Europe. On July 22, NATO’s North Atlantic Council approved a €27 billion Fuel Supply Chain Capability Programme Plan to modernize storage and distribution and support new facilities, including pipelines in the alliance’s eastern and southeastern regions.
The Commission cited high energy costs, global competition and investment needs for sustainable biofuels and e-fuels as pressures on refiners. European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen said higher output from European refineries should help bring fuel prices down. The Commission and industry plan to develop a joint roadmap, but the announcement set no timetable or production target. Euronews separately reported that another technical meeting was scheduled for early 2027.
