EU institutions urged to champion sustainable aviation in the Clean Industrial Deal

Dear Commission President,
Dear Commission Executive Vice President designates,
Dear Commissioner designates,
Dear Ministers,
Dear Committee Chairs,

On behalf of the European Aviation Industry, we would like to express our sincere appreciation for your continued commitment to decarbonising European Aviation, particularly through the extensive legislation put in place under the European Green Deal during the last legislative period.

DESTINATION 2050 is the industry alliance committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, representing all major pillars of the European Aviation industry, including civil aeronautical industry such as airframe, engine and equipment manufacturers, airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers. Formed by A4E, ACI EUROPE, ASD, CANSO Europe and ERA, this alliance has developed the European Aviation Industry Roadmap, “A Route to Net Zero European Aviation”, which we have been advancing since 2021.

This roadmap is currently undergoing a comprehensive review by two independent expert consultancies to incorporate the significant regulatory and technological advancements in aviation over the past few years. The reviewed Roadmap will serve as the strategic blueprint for decarbonising European aviation, ensuring continued alignment with the ambitious goals of the European Green Deal and the forthcoming Clean Industrial Deal.

As an industry and eco-system, we stand ready to continue being a proactive part of the solution. Therefore, we urge the European Commission to prioritise Aviation as a critical, hard-to-abate sector which plays an essential role for the competitive position and cohesion of our Union.

This requires:

1. The inclusion of aviation within the forthcoming Clean Industrial Deal, and
2. A specific Aviation Industrial Strategy that integrates the key recommendations from the Draghi report.

The whole aviation sector is committed to reach net zero emissions for its operations by 2050 and working hard to progress towards this ambitious objective. But achieving the goal of net-zero carbon emission aviation is not something the industry can do on its own. It requires immediate, effective and fully aligned supportive policies at EU and national level aimed in particular at: 

• Accelerating research & development,
• Scaling up of the availability and uptake of affordable sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)
• Enhancing access to financing for low-carbon technologies.

Time is of the essence. The transition to net-zero carbon aviation can only succeed through a well-coordinated and collaborative effort between all stakeholders. Therefore, in addition to the above, we are calling on the European Commission and Member States to engage with the European aviation industry through the DESTINATION 2050 founding partner initiative and establish a structured, high-level dialogue at EU level.

This high-level dialogue would ensure coherence, alignment and collaboration across all stakeholders and alliances, accelerating policy development and delivering the necessary instruments to decarbonise aviation effectively in terms of incentives and funding. We need a jointly agreed EU Aviation Industrial Strategy as part of the Clean Industrial Deal that fosters innovation, secures financing, provides regulatory certainty and consistency across policy initiatives to continue to build a sustainable and competitive European aviation sector that continues to underpin Europe’s connectivity, economic growth and global competitiveness.

We look forward to engaging with you and working together to make aviation’s transition to net-zero carbon a reality.