A few days before the launch of the 2023 edition of the Paris Airshow (Salon Aéronautique du Bourget), the main European aviation institutional bodies are putting a little pressure back on European states to urge them to adopt the "ReFuelEU Aviation" regulation very quickly, which is to put in place the entire framework for decarbonizing the European aviation sector. 

The European Union must not fall behind on SAF 

The signatories, which are ACI Europe (European branch of the Airports Council International), A4E (Airlines For Europe), ASD (Association of European Aerospace and Defense Industries), CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organization) and ERA (Association of European Regional Airlines), state: "The international race for SAF leadership has begun, and European investors and industrial partners are waiting for a strong political signal from legislators to deploy their investments. The European institutions cannot afford to delay their decision any longer, and leave the European Union lagging behind in terms of decarbonization and competitiveness. Accelerating the use of renewable energies over the next ten years is the key to enabling a transition to a carbon-neutral economy and meeting the European Union's climate targets."

Finding incentive mechanisms 

"The ReFuelEU Aviation regulation could be complemented by incentives for SAF production through their inclusion in the EU Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which resembles the American approach in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)", add the European aviation institutional bodies. It should be remembered that the States have already agreed on the levels of the mandates for incorporation of sustainable aviation fuels: 2% in 2025, 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035, 34% in 2040, 42% in 2045, and 70% in 2050. These incorporation mandates also include sub-mandates for synthetic fuels: 1.2% on average for 2030 (out of the 6%), 2% in 2032, 5% in 2035 and up to 35% in 2050.