EU policymakers should ensure ReFuel EU can finally take to the skies and help set the course for net zero aviation in Europe

Airlines for Europe (A4E) is urging EU policymakers to persevere and come out of the latest ReFuel EU “trilogue” with an agreement. This will provide certainty for European aviation and allow the EU to focus on building the capacity for a thriving sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry in Europe.

Ahead of the meeting of EU policymakers on 25 April, A4E is reiterating its calls for a European SAF mandate that ensures:

1. A single mandate in a single aviation market
2. Ambitious but achievable quotas
3. High standards for truly sustainable SAF
4. Price support mechanisms closing the gap between SAFs and fossil fuels

The EU is on the cusp of a new era of sustainable and green energy. It needs to think about SAF the same way it thinks about wind turbines, solar panels, hydrogen or CO2 storage in order to support aviation’s energy transition, strengthen fuel security and promote sustainable jobs.

Speaking ahead of the “trilogue”, acting Managing Director of A4E Laurent Donceel said:

“Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will play a critical role in decarbonising European aviation. With the right policy in place, 30 SAF plants could be built across Europe over the next 7 years, saving 7 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030. But we need the final pieces of the puzzle to fit in place. We cannot have a situation where ReFuel EU is stuck in a holding pattern because of disagreements between policymakers.”

“Achieving this agreement should not come at the cost of the single market for aviation. It needs to ensure whatever targets that are set are ambitious, but don’t price passengers out of the air. Achieving an agreement on ReFuel EU will be a milestone that should encourage EU policymakers to help build and sustain a competitive SAF industry in Europe,” added Donceel.

Brussels, 24 April 2023