MEPs in meeting in plenary session, on Thursday 7 July, voted in favour of the report by Søren Gade (Renew Europe, Denmark) on the deployment of sustainable fuels in the aviation sector (‘ReFuelEU Aviation’) (see EUROPE 12980/6) and thus adopted the European Parliament's mandate for inter-institutional negotiations.
“Aviation is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise. Today we have shown how we can do it. We have sent a strong and ambitious signal to the citizens of Europe”, said Søren Gade.
In concrete terms, the report adopted by the Parliament increases the Commission’s ambitions regarding the minimum share of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the overall mix. For example, FAS should represent at least 2% of the aviation fuel mix by 2025. This threshold will have to reach 37% in 2040 and 85% in 2050, whereas the Commission’s proposal was initially based on 32% in 2040 and 63% in 2050.
The definition of FAS has also been amended. It includes - in addition to synthetic fuels or certain biofuels derived from agricultural and forestry residues, algae, biomass or used cooking oil - recycled carbon-based fuels produced from waste processing gas and exhaust gas deriving from production process in industrial installations.
“Thanks to the introduction of a binding mandate, synthetic aviation fuels will also have to increase by up to 22% by 2050”, commented Petar Vitanov (S&D, Bulgaria).
While the issue had divided the European Parliament’s political groups, fuels produced from food and feed crops as well as those derived from palm oil, soy materials and neutralization pastes were excluded from the text. This position had been largely defended by the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament as well as by several Member States or stakeholders in the aviation sector.
The report also includes electricity and hydrogen in the overall energy mix and airports are encouraged to promote access to these energies through the installation of charging stations and refuelling facilities.
Finally, the report also foresees the creation of a sustainable aviation fund for the period 2023-2050, which would be partly financed by fines collected due to bad or non-enforcement of rules. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)