Fit for a sustainable future

It has been an intense year for environmental regulatory reform, with Fit for 55 (Ff55) being the main headline act. Earlier this year the European Parliament (EP) plenary approved the deal reached with EU Member States on the reform of the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for aviation (and maritime) and agreed to the revision of the ETS for aviation. The agreement highlights included aligning the aviation sector with EU and global climate goals; phasing out free allocations for the aviation sector by 2026; the introduction of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) allowances; and a new mechanism for monitoring and reporting non-CO₂ emissions.

In addition, the Council and the EP reached a provisional political agreement on the ReFuelEU proposal to decarbonise the aviation sector; this was followed by MEPs’ approval of ReFuelEU to increase the uptake of SAFs, such as advanced biofuels or hydrogen, in the aviation sector. The adoption marked an important and timely step necessary to realising the earnest decarbonisation targets set for our industry with SAFs being a crucial component.

The adoption of this legislation, which forms part of the Ff55 package, lays the foundation for ambitious blending shares of SAF in aviation fuel, with an objective to increase volumes and decrease prices. The passing of this important environmental legislation is a central move towards our industry’s sustainable future. ERA will continue its sustainability actions and work to support the industry and

its members. As part of this work, ERA will, along with the associations involved in Destination 2050 [1], review and update the original version of this roadmap – ‘A route to net zero European aviation’ – first published in February 2021, with an aim for it to be ready for the next European Commission and Parliament in 2024. The original consultants NLR/SEO will work with ERA and the partner associations, institutions and ERA member sustainability experts who signed up to work on this project, to deliver the updated roadmap.

ERA workplan 2023 delivered!

Earlier this year, ERA developed its working plan, outlining our main objectives, work priorities and main policy asks for the year. The programme was structured around four topics, reflecting ERA’s mission: boosting regional connectivity, ensuring the competitiveness of European regional aviation, campaigning for improvements in air safety, operational efficiency and ATM modernisation, and championing environmental and social responsibilities. The working plan can be found on our website here [2]. During the year, this work plan has helped the ERA team to keep focussed on the important issues for our members and on matters that add value to their business from the association. We have also paid close attention to those challenges highlighted by our members: sustainability and financing the green transition, skills shortages, regulatory fatigue, competition and operational issues such as supply chain.

Inspiring Innsbruck

Our annual ERA General Assembly which took place last month in Innsbruck, Austria, a truly regional destination, was a resounding success. In total 360 participants attended from 170 member companies, including representatives from 44 airlines. The many success stories generated from the event, including the positive feedback and testimonies appearing on social media, coupled with the many news stories and announcements, is further evidence of the continued value and benefits of being part of the association. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our members who participated and our supporting exhibitors and sponsors for their invaluable support to make the event possible. To read more about this year’s event, please read our full event report on page 8 [3] of the magazine.

Final thoughts

As we approach the end of another busy year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members for their continued support and dedication to the association. ERA currently has 225 members including 58 airlines; we welcomed several new and returning members this year which not only strengthens the association but also our presence within the European aviation community.

The #ERAFamily is a strong body of aviation businesses spanning the entire aviation ecosystem. Collectively we can work together, collaborating as the voice of a future sustainable sector providing connectivity and personal and business travel opportunities to millions of people across Europe and beyond. I look forward to working with all ERA members in the coming year and continuing to extend the value and benefits offered to ERA members even further.