Airlines in Europe have faced increasing regulatory pressure to reduce emissions, with the EU reaching an agreement on a mandate for sustainable aviation fuel use and France formally banning some short-haul domestic flights.

The European Parliament and the Council, which represents the 27 member states, agreed to a deal on the ReFuelEU Aviation mandate on April 25. The SAF policy, which will require airlines to increase their use of sustainable fuels for flights departing from EU airports, is now set to be implemented from 2025. It will start at a minimum 2 percent share of SAF and then rise to 6 percent in 2030, with the ultimate target of reaching 70 percent SAF by 2050.

It is the final transport element of the EU’s Fit for 55 package, which is designed to turn climate goals into law, including the commitment to cut emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030. SAF can reduce carbon emissions associated with the fuel lifecycle (including fuel production) by up to 80 percent compared with traditional kerosene jet fuel. The policy forms part of the European Green Deal initiative to make the continent carbon neutral by 2050.

“This political agreement is a turning point for European aviation, putting it on a solid pathway towards decarbonization,” according to EU commissioner for Transport Adina Valean. “Shifting to sustainable aviation fuels will improve our energy security, while reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports.”

As well as introducing the SAF mandate, airlines operating from EU airports will only be able to take on the fuel required for the next flight, rather than carrying excess fuel to avoid having to take on SAF-blended fuel. This over-fueling practice is known as “tinkering” and creates extra weight and carbon “leakage.” Airports will also be required to ensure their fueling infrastructure is “fit for SAF distribution.”

Sustainability group Travel & Environment said the approval of the EU’s SAF mandate would “kickstart Europe’s green aviation fuel market” with T&E aviation manager Matteo Mirolo calling it “an unwavering endorsement of the world’s largest green fuel mandate for aviation.” He noted it “will require industrial support policies for synthetic kerosene but also stronger safeguards to ensure that no unsustainable biofuels creep into airplane tanks.”

Airline Industry Pushes Back

The airline industry has pushed back on the requirement. At the International Air Transport Association’s annual meeting, held in Istanbul in early June, the group’s head, Willie Walsh, said it was an indication of “the EU as being anti-aviation, whereas other parts of the world are very positive, pro-aviation,” according to Reuters. Instead of mandates, IATA has called on governments to “act to ensure that SAF gets its fair production share,” which includes production incentives and diversifying methods and feedstocks available for SAF production, according to Walsh.