The French Presidency of the Council of the EU finalised on Wednesday 27 April a new version of its compromise text on the deployment of alternative fuels in the aviation sector (‘ReFuelEU Aviation’) (see EUROPE 12935/11). The members of the Aviation Working Group will discuss this document at their next meeting on Tuesday 3 May.
In concrete terms, the majority of the changes made by the French Presidency of the EU Council in the document - of which EUROPE has obtained a copy - are in the section on the share of sustainable aviation fuel available at EU airports.
In this respect, the document specifies that Member States would have the option to set higher national targets than those foreseen by the European Commission for the share of synthetic aviation fuels at one or more airports in their territory. The Member State should notify the other Member States and the European Commission of this decision.
However, limits would be set, and the higher minimum share set by a Member State could not exceed the minimum share set by the Regulation by more than 0.7% for the period up to 1 January 2030, by more than 1% for the period from 1 January 2030 to 1 January 2035, and by 5% after 1 January 2035.
In addition, the text also suggests that where the minimum share of synthetic aviation fuel cannot be met for two consecutive reference periods on average at all EU airports due to a structural lack of production or supply of such fuels in the EU, the European Commission could adopt a decision requiring the Member State to suspend the application of this measure.
See the compromise document (in French): https://aeur.eu/f/1f2 (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)