European aviation industry welcomes EU trilogue agreement on ReFuelEU

European aviation industry welcomes EU trilogue agreement on ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation

The political agreement between European Parliament and the European Council on ReFuelEU’s Aviation regulation was signed on 26 April and has been met with cohesive support. The five leading European aviation associations, Airlines for Europe (A4E); Airports Council International (ACI Europe); AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD); CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Service Organisation), and European Regions Airline Association (ERA) welcomed the agreement. 

The agreement marks an important and timely step necessary to the realisation of the ambitious targets of the decarbonisation roadmap to which the sector has committed. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) play a decisive role in that endeavour and today’s agreement lays the foundation for all key stakeholders to move on in a concerted effort to reach the blending shares of SAF to kerosene agreed upon. This is expected to stimulate increased production and larger scale market uptake of SAF through to 2050.

Through Destination 2050, announced in early 2021, the European aviation industry was the first in the world to commit to the realisation of a net-zero goal for all departing flights by 2050. This will be achieved through a combination of four key pillars including improvements in aircraft and engine technologies, using SAF, implementing economic measures, and improvements to air traffic management (ATM) and aircraft operations in Europe.

Whilst the trilogue agreement is an important step into the right direction, further support is needed through complementary EU policies and initiatives.