EU Opens Refinery Talks to Raise Fuel Output and Shape Sector Roadmap

The European Commission began talks with refiners on Wednesday, Oct. 28, to raise fuel output and shape a sector roadmap, bringing energy security and military needs into a discussion framed around EU climate goals.

Participants considered ways to use existing refinery capacity more fully, strengthen fuel supply chains and invest in biofuels and e-fuels. European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen said the Commission would work to increase output from refining assets in Europe. “We will work to increase outputs from refining assets in Europe, because ultimately, we need to bring fuel prices down,” he said.

EU refineries supply about 70% of the jet fuel and 85% of the diesel consumed in Europe. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, who co-chaired the meeting, said fuel is essential to military logistics. “Defence without fuel is impossible,” he said.

At its Oct. 21 meeting, the Commission’s Oil Coordination Group said diesel and jet-fuel supplies were tight, but there was no physical shortage in Europe at that time. The dialogue followed earlier coverage of higher European diesel prices amid tight global refined-fuel markets and reduced refining capacity.

The Commission put the EU’s additional spending on fossil fuels at €100 billion from March through the end of September 2026. That figure covers fossil fuels broadly, rather than refinery products alone. On Oct. 16, EU leaders welcomed the Commission’s intention to develop a short-term framework to optimize refinery capacity and efficiency; their support did not amount to adoption of the framework.

The Commission and industry will continue technical work on a roadmap for the refining sector’s transformation. The Oct. 28 announcement set no production target and included no specific regulatory change.