Von der Leyen turns to Europe’s refineries as shrinking capacity raises energy security concerns

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday a new "strategic dialogue" on European refineries, drawing attention to a growing vulnerability for the EU: its shrinking refining capacity, which has been declining since 2009.

European refineries — which convert crude oil into refined products such as diesel or jet fuel — have been closing or reducing capacity for years as ageing plants became less profitable and demand patterns shifted.