ACI EUROPE urges global approach to aviation emissions in response to revised EU ETS proposal
ACI EUROPE has raised concerns over the European Commission’s revised proposal for the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), warning that whilst well-intentioned, extending its geographical scope beyond the EU/EEA could undermine global efforts to decarbonise aviation.
Whilst ACI EUROPE welcomes the Commission’s ambition to strengthen climate action, aviation requires a global carbon-pricing framework, rather than an expanding patchwork of regional measures. The proposal would extend the EU ETS to cover all departing flights within a 5,000 km radius of the EU/EEA, a move that risks weakening the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and increasing regulatory complexity for airlines.
Several aspects of the proposal are welcomed, including plans to accelerate the deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), and direct EU ETS revenues towards hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation: these revenues should be fully earmarked for aviation decarbonisation to maximise their impact. Additionally, a continued exemption for the EU’s outermost regions was welcomed, recognising the essential role air connectivity plays in supporting territorial cohesion and regional economies. However, ACI EUROPE Director General Olivier Jankovec cautioned that “one principle must remain clear: the decarbonisation imperative must preserve competitiveness and cohesion. It must also reinforce – not fragment – the international framework for reducing aviation emissions.”
Read ACI EUROPE’s full position on the revised EU ETS aviation proposal below.
