TRAN MEPS DEBATE DRAFT REPORT ON REFUELEU AVIATION
On 3 March, the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) discussed the draft report on ReFuelEU Aviation by Rapporteur Søren Gade (RE, Denmark). The Rapporteur has proposed to broaden the scope of the proposal period extending the period during which sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) will not have to be supplied in all airports until 2023 while enforcing the blending mandate. Moreover, he highlighted the need to address the risks of carbon leakage via stops and hops on long-hauls to protect European jobs and businesses, fuel tankering, and the uphold of technology neutrality (hydrogen and electricity). He clarified that the use of ‘book and claim’ systems is envisaged only during the transition system.
During the debate, several MEPs pointed at the current lack of SAFs availability in the market and therefore the need to accelerate the rollout of SAFs large scale production. EPP Shadow Rapporteur, MEP Cláudia Monteiro De Aguiar (Portugal) called for a broader definition of SAFs, the inclusion of hydrogen and other types of fuel in the scope, and further incentives for the production and development of SAFs (e.g., relying on the ETS and exploring solutions related to credit purchases). MEP Erik Bergkvist (S&D, Sweden) called for the different infrastructure and resources between large and small airports should be considered in the Regulation to prevent carbon leakage. MEP Kosma Złotowski (ECR, Poland) advocated for a 1% SAF requirement by 2030, that would increase to 5% in 2035 as well as offsetting measures that would preserve the competitiveness of the sector.