The Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union has called an extraordinary meeting of European transport ministers, to be held remotely on Tuesday 21 April, to discuss the consequences for the EU of the war in the Middle East.
The conflict in Iran is having a significant impact on the transport sector. The closure of airspace in the Gulf region is forcing airlines to make detours. In the Strait of Hormuz, the situation remains unstable, despite the ceasefire, and the safety of the sea passage has not been restored. These two points will be on the agenda for the ministerial meeting.
While there are no fuel shortages in the EU at present, there are concerns about the supply of diesel and paraffin, 40% of which comes from non-EU countries, with 20% of that originating from the Gulf.. The ministers will also discuss price rises, which are putting considerable pressure on transport operators, particularly in the air transport sector.
Finally, the ministers will discuss the various measures taken at national level in recent weeks, with a view to increasing coordination at European level and identifying priority measures to counter the effects of the crisis.
An informal ministerial meeting was already scheduled for Wednesday 29 April in Cyprus. (Original version in French by Juliette Verdes)