MEP Piotr Müller (ECR) has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission warning that the EU's ReFuelEU Aviation regulations may lead to a synthetic fuel supply gap by 2030, and calling for more flexibility to scale up sustainable bio-aviation fuels (bioSAF). The question, filed on 16 April 2026, targets the Commission's reliance on e-fuels (eSAF) despite their high cost and technological barriers, arguing that proven biofuel technologies offer a more viable and cost-effective path to decarbonise aviation.
first, how the Commission plans to optimise mature bioSAF technologies to avoid a supply gap; second, whether it will introduce flexibility mechanisms to harness European biomass for energy independence and market stability; and third, what action it will take to prevent excessive cost burdens for passengers and carriers by promoting cost-effective biofuel pathways.
The policy orientation of the question leans toward a more pragmatic, industry-friendly approach that prioritises immediate emissions reductions over ambitious but unproven synthetic fuel mandates. Müller implicitly challenges the regulatory push for eSAF, which requires vast amounts of renewable electricity and remains expensive, and instead advocates for a greater role for bioSAF, which is already commercially available. This reflects a cleavage between technological neutrality and prescriptive regulation, as well as between environmental ambition and economic competitiveness.
As a written parliamentary question under Rule 144, the Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks. The answer will signal whether the Commission is open to adjusting the ReFuelEU framework to accommodate greater biofuel flexibility, or whether it will maintain its current trajectory focused on synthetic fuels. The outcome could have significant implications for airlines, fuel producers, passengers, and EU energy independence goals.
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