European aviation industry welcomes EU trilogue agreement on RefuelEU Aviation regulation as an important step towards decarbonisation of the aviation sector
26 April 2023Brussels: The five leading European aviation associations which are close partners through the DESTINATION 2050 decarbonisation roadmap – A4E, ACI EUROPE, ASD, CANSO, and ERA – welcome yesterday’s political agreement between the European Parliament and the European Council on the ReFuel EU Aviation regulation.
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 play a decisive role in that endeavour and the 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 Sustainable Aviation Fuels (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.