RefuelEU aviation initiative – Council adopts new regulation to decarbonise the aviation sector, Sustainable Aviation Gas.
Extra renewable and low-carbon fuels will scale back the carbon footprint of the aviation sector and create a stage taking part in subject for a sustainable air transport within the EU following right now’s adoption of a brand new regulation by the Council on the so-called ‘ReFuelEU aviation’ initiative.
Raquel Sánchez Jiménez, Spanish appearing minister of transport, mobility and concrete agenda stated:
The brand new regulation will present authorized certainty to plane operators and gasoline suppliers in Europe.
“By kick-starting the large-scale manufacturing of sustainable aviation fuels, it should quickly make the EU’s aviation sector a lot greener. It is a key step in our broader effort to succeed in our local weather targets at European and world stage.”
Important targets of the brand new laws
The primary goal of the RefuelEU aviation initiative, as a key a part of the EU’s Match for 55 package deal, is to extend each demand for and provide of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), which have decrease CO2 emissions than fossil gasoline kerosene, whereas making certain a stage taking part in subject throughout the EU air transport market.
The brand new laws goals to place air transport on the trajectory of the EU’s local weather targets for 2030 and 2050, as SAF are one of many key short- and medium-term instruments for decarbonising aviation. It ought to deal with the present scenario which is hindering their growth: low provide and costs a lot increased than costs of fossil fuels.
Important provisions of the brand new regulation
The brand new regulation comprises the next predominant provisions:
- The duty for aviation gasoline suppliers to make sure that all gasoline made accessible to plane operators at EU airports comprises a minimal share of SAF from 2025and, from 2030, a minimal share of artificial fuels, with each shares rising progressively till 2050. Gas suppliers must incorporate 2% SAF in 2025, 6% in 2030 and 70% in 2050. From 2030, 1,2% of fuels should even be artificial fuels, rising to 35% in 2050.
- The duty for plane operators to make sure that the yearly amount of aviation gasoline uplifted at a given EU airport is at the very least 90% of the yearly aviation gasoline required, to keep away from tankering practices which might convey extra emissions from further weight.
- The scope of eligible sustainable aviation fuels and artificial aviation fuels consists of licensed biofuels, renewable fuels of non-biological origin (together with renewable hydrogen) and recycled carbon aviation fuels complying with the Renewable Vitality Directive (RED) sustainability and emissions saving standards, as much as a most of 70% apart from biofuels from meals and feed crops, in addition to low-carbon aviation fuels (together with low-carbon hydrogen), which can be utilized to succeed in the minimal shares within the respective a part of the regulation.
- Guidelines on the competent authorities, to be designated by the member states to implement this regulation, and guidelines on fines
- The creation of a Union labelling scheme about environmental efficiency for plane operators utilizing SAF, which can assist customers make knowledgeable selections and can promote greener flights.
- Knowledge assortment and reporting obligationsfor gasoline suppliers and plane operators enabling to observe the results of this regulation on the competitiveness of EU operators and platforms.
Subsequent steps
Following right now’s formal adoption by the Council, the brand new regulation can be printed within the EU’s official journal within the coming weeks and can enter into power the 20th day after this publication. It shall apply from 1 January 2024. Nevertheless, articles 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 shall apply from 1 January 2025.
Background data
The ReFuelEU Aviation initiative is a part of the ‘Match for 55’ package deal. Offered by the European Fee on 14 July 2021, the package deal goals to allow the EU to scale back its web greenhouse gasoline emissions by at the very least 55% by 2030 in comparison with 1990 ranges and to attain local weather neutrality in 2050.
On 2 June 2022, the Transport Council reached a common method on the proposal. Following interinstitutional negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament (trilogues), the 2 co-legislators reached a provisional political settlement on the file on 25 April 2023.
RefuelEU aviation initiative: Council adopts new regulation to decarbonise the aviation sector, October 9, 2023
