Overview

• On May 9, EU Presidents von der Leyen, Metsola, and Costa flew by chartered private jet from Brussels to Luxembourg for the Schuman Declaration anniversary event.
• The European Commission spokesperson stated that scheduling constraints made the private jet the only viable option for the leaders to attend together.
• The 190–200 km journey could have been completed in approximately 2.5 hours by car, but the flight was deemed significantly faster.
• Critics have raised concerns about the environmental and budgetary implications of the flight, given the EU's code of conduct limiting private jet use to exceptional cases.
• The Commission maintains the trip adhered to the rules, but watchdogs and media continue to question its alignment with EU sustainability goals.