Commission sets out immediate measures and pipeline of legislative actions under ‘AccelerateEU’

The European Commission has outlined a combined set of emergency measures and forthcoming legislative actions under its ‘AccelerateEU’ Communication, targeting fuel supply pressures in transport while accelerating electrification and the shift away from fossil fuels.

The plan responds to renewed volatility in oil markets linked to the Middle East crisis, with the EU incurring an additional €24 billion in fossil fuel import costs without increased supply. While no immediate supply disruption is identified, the Commission points to tight fuel markets and rising prices as a risk for households, industry and transport operations.

In aviation, the Commission identifies jet fuel availability as a critical risk ahead of the summer season. It plans to coordinate fuel sourcing and distribution across Member States, including through a new Fuel Observatory to monitor production, imports, exports and stock levels. Guidance will be issued in May on the use of existing flexibilities in EU aviation rules, including on airport slots, anti-tankering provisions and public service obligations. The Commission signals that temporary regulatory changes could follow if market conditions deteriorate.

For maritime and road transport, rising diesel and bunker fuel costs are expected to continue affecting freight operators, inland shipping and fisheries. The Commission indicates that coordinated action on refinery output and potential emergency stock releases will be used to maintain supply, while stressing the need to preserve connectivity and logistics flows.

Alongside these immediate measures, the Communication sets out a pipeline of actions with direct implications for transport decarbonisation. A central element is the Electrification Action Plan, due by the summer, which will establish an EU electrification target and propose measures to remove barriers across transport, buildings and industry. This includes action on the relative pricing of electricity and fossil fuels and incentives for electric vehicle uptake, including in heavy-duty segments.

The Commission also confirms that accelerating the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels and maritime fuels remains a priority, with implementation of the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan identified as key to scaling production and reducing costs. In parallel, it will review hydrogen production criteria to support industrial decarbonisation and the development of e-fuels, including for aviation and maritime use.

On infrastructure, a legislative proposal on network charges and taxation is expected in 2026, aimed at ensuring electricity is taxed more favourably than fossil fuels and enabling reductions for specific user groups. The Commission also calls for swift agreement on the EU grids package and signals further action to expand storage capacity and interconnections.

Additional measures include a forthcoming revision of the Oil Stocks Directive, the creation of a Fuel Observatory, and a catalogue of short-term measures to reduce fossil fuel consumption to be presented in May. A Clean Energy Investment Summit is also planned to mobilise private capital, alongside an update of the EU Emissions Trading System by July, including additional support for industrial decarbonisation and potential extensions of support mechanisms for sustainable fuels.

The Communication indicates that further measures may follow depending on the evolution of the crisis, with the current package designed to combine short-term relief with accelerated structural change in the EU energy and transport system.

See also: EU Sets Out Menu of Transport Measures for “Immediate Relief”, Including Teleworking and Limits on Air Travel, Leaked Document Shows

Commission consults on aviation strategy to address competitiveness, autonomy and security risks

The European Commission has launched a call for evidence on a forthcoming aviation and aeronautics strategy aimed at preserving the EU’s global leadership while addressing mounting competitive, technological and geopolitical pressures. The initiative, led by DG MOVE, is expected in the third quarter of 2026 as a non-legislative Communication.

The consultation signals a broad reassessment of the sector more than a decade after the 2015 Aviation Strategy. While the EU retains a leading position in aircraft manufacturing and air transport, the Commission identifies growing external competition, supply chain dependencies and structural inefficiencies as key risks.

Airline competitiveness on international routes is highlighted as a central concern, with EU carriers facing pressure from expanding non-EU hubs and operators, alongside the cost implications of EU climate legislation. The Commission stresses the need for a global level playing field to maintain the attractiveness of EU hubs.

At the industrial level, the aeronautical value chain is described as increasingly exposed to disruptions, including reliance on critical raw materials, semiconductors and external suppliers. This is coupled with intensified global investment in aviation research and innovation, raising concerns over Europe’s ability to retain technological leadership.

The consultation also points to persistent productivity constraints within the EU aviation system. Capacity limitations, fragmentation in air traffic management and the incomplete implementation of the Single European Sky are identified as contributing to inefficiencies and higher operating costs.

Unmanned aviation and emerging segments such as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft are treated as strategic areas where the EU risks losing ground. The Commission highlights regulatory fragmentation, technical integration challenges and insufficient infrastructure investment as barriers to deployment.

Security and resilience considerations feature prominently. The document points to increasing risks linked to geopolitical instability, including GNSS interference, drone incidents and conflict zones, alongside broader systemic vulnerabilities exposed by recent crises. Strengthening dual-use capabilities and improving coordination between civil and military aviation are identified as priorities.

The forthcoming strategy is expected to combine industrial, regulatory and investment measures. These include actions to strengthen the European aviation value chain, support the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels and low-emission propulsion technologies, and accelerate digitalisation and the use of artificial intelligence across the sector.

The Commission also signals a “clean and smart aviation moonshot” to reinforce research and innovation, building on existing programmes such as Clean Aviation and SESAR, alongside measures to improve workforce attractiveness and address skills shortages.

The strategy is intended to align aviation policy more closely with broader EU priorities, including competitiveness, strategic autonomy, defence and the clean industrial transition, with stakeholder input now sought on both the problem definition and potential policy responses.

IMO maritime decarbonisation talks face renewed uncertainty ahead of MEPC 84

A European Parliament briefing requested by the ENVI committee highlights mounting uncertainty around global efforts to decarbonise maritime transport, as the International Maritime Organization approaches a key meeting in April.

The briefing, prepared by the Parliament’s Policy Department, focuses on the 84th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee, scheduled for the 27th of April to the 1st of May in London, and frames it as a political waypoint following the failure to adopt the Net-Zero Framework in October 2025.

That failure, driven by a vote to adjourn negotiations, exposed deep divisions among IMO member states and has left the pathway towards a global greenhouse gas reduction regime for shipping unresolved.

The Net-Zero Framework, approved in principle in April 2025, combines a technical fuel standard with an economic mechanism designed to penalise high-emission vessels. However, its adoption was derailed after opposition from a coalition of countries, including the United States and major emerging economies, preventing convergence on a binding global measure.

According to the Parliament briefing, the absence of agreement represents a significant setback for the European Union, which has consistently supported a global approach to maritime decarbonisation. While EU measures such as the extension of the Emissions Trading System to shipping and the FuelEU Maritime regulation remain in force, they lack global coverage and risk contributing to regulatory fragmentation.

The document identifies structural fault lines in the IMO negotiations, notably tensions between the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and the requirement for uniform treatment of ships. These divisions continue to limit progress on market-based measures, including carbon pricing mechanisms.

Ahead of MEPC 84, member states remain split on how to proceed. Options under discussion range from maintaining the existing framework to modifying or removing its economic elements to suspending or abandoning the process entirely. No clear convergence has emerged, and the meeting is expected to focus largely on technical work, including lifecycle emissions accounting and a new global greenhouse gas study.

The briefing notes that, in the absence of a global agreement, a fragmented regulatory landscape could become the default scenario, with regional schemes such as the EU ETS driving emissions reductions but also raising risks of carbon leakage, trade distortions, and increased administrative burden.

For EU policymakers, the Parliament analysis suggests a dual challenge: maintaining internal alignment among member states while continuing to push for a credible global framework. The EU’s role could include mediating between divergent positions and leveraging its regulatory experience to support convergence ahead of the next decisive IMO session, expected in November 2026.