COMMISSION REAFFIRMS REFUELEU AVIATION MANDATES AND PENALTIES
On 9 March, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) issued a statement clarifying that the mandates and penalty mechanisms established under the ReFuelEU Aviation framework remain unchanged.
The clarification follows remarks made last week by a senior DG MOVE official during a closed-door meeting with industry representatives, suggesting that fuel suppliers might not face penalties if they fail to meet upcoming targets related to synthetic sustainable aviation fuels (eSAF). According to media reports, the official indicated that the Commission did not intend to impose fines if suppliers failed to meet the eSAF targets.
DG MOVE confirmed that the regulatory framework of ReFuelEU Aviation continues to apply as adopted, including compliance obligations and the associated penalties for non-compliance. As reaffirmed in the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan, the Commission remains fully committed to supporting the scale-up of SAF and eSAF production through EU funding and innovative instruments such as double-sided auctions. The Commission noted that the momentum is already building. In 2024, 25 suppliers provided SAF to 33 EU airports across 12 Member States. In 2025, more than €100 million in SAF support was made available to airlines under the EU ETS. Looking ahead, members of the eSAF Early Movers Coalition plan to launch a pilot auction for eSAF in 2026, backed by more than €2 billion in public funding.