EU Parliament, Council reach deal on greener aviation fuels

A provisional deal, reached on Tuesday night between the European Parliament and Council negotiators on RefuelEU Aviation rules, sets the minimum share of sustainable aviation fuels to be made available at EU airports, to cut emissions and ensure the EU becomes climate neutral by 2050.

MEPs secured an agreement that, starting from 2025, at least 2% of aviation fuels will be green, with this share increasing every five years: 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035, 34% in 2040, 42% in 2045 and 70% in 2050. In other words, this measure on its own is projected to reduce aircraft CO₂ emissions by around two-thirds by 2050 compared to a ‘no action' scenario, and provide climate and air quality benefits by reducing non-CO₂ emissions.

In addition, a specific proportion of the fuel mix (1.2% in 2030, 2% in 2032, 5% in 2035 and progressively reaching 35% in 2050) must comprise synthetic fuels like e-kerosene.

What is green fuel?

According to the deal, the term ‘sustainable aviation fuels’ will include synthetic fuels, certain biofuels produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, bio-waste, used cooking oil or certain animal fats, and recycled jet fuels produced from waste gases and waste plastic.

MEPs ensured that feed and food crop-based fuels and fuels derived from palm and soy materials will not be considered green as they do not align with the sustainability criteria. They also managed to include renewable hydrogen as part of a sustainable fuel mix, a promising technology that could progressively contribute to the decarbonisation of air transport.

The MEPs also ensured that as of 2025 there will be an EU label for the environmental performance of flights. Airlines will be able to market their flights with a label indicating the expected carbon footprint per passenger and the expected CO₂ efficiency per kilometre. It will allow passengers to compare the environmental performance of flights operated by different companies on the same route.

Since it will apply throughout the EU, the new mandate will ensure a level playing field within the EU internal market, provide legal certainty to fuel producers and help kick-start large-scale production across the continent,

the European Commission said in a separate press release.

"It will also increase the EU's energy security by reducing dependencies on third-country sourced energy products and create thousands of new jobs in the energy sector. The EU's airlines will have access to increasing amounts of sustainable aviation fuel throughout the EU," it added.

The new rules will require:

1. Aviation fuel suppliers to supply a minimum share of SAF at EU airports, starting at 2% of overall fuel supplied by 2025 and reaching 70% by 2050. The new EU jet fuel blend will need to also contain a minimum share of the most modern and environmentally-friendly synthetic fuels, which increases over time;
2. Aircraft operators departing from EU airports to refuel only with  the fuel necessary for the flight, to avoid emissions related to extra weight or carbon leakage caused by ‘tankering' practices (deliberately carrying excess fuel to avoid refuelling with SAF);
3. Airports to ensure that their fuelling infrastructure is available and fit for SAF distribution.

The political agreement now requires formal adoption by the Parliament and the Council. Once this process is completed, the new legislation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and enter into force with immediate effect.

Cover photo: Getty Images