European Airlines Demand Changes to ReFuelEU Rules

Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) have demanded changes to the European Commission’s ReFuelEU rules that mandate increased use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). In a joint report published on Thursday, the industry groups called for improvements to the system, which they said will make it “smarter and clearer.”

Core demands relate to ReFuelEU’s anti-fuel-tankering rule, how SAF documentation and alignment with the emissions trading scheme are handled, and fuel supplier market behavior and pricing transparency. The ETS is the EU framework through which all industries are subject to cap-and-trade mandates requiring them to hold allowances for every metric ton of carbon dioxide they emit.

According to A4E and ERA, the anti-tankering rule, which fines operators who cannot prove that they uplifted at least 90% of their required fuel from EU airports, creates an excessively heavy administrative burden and sometimes results in excessive fuel burn. The groups called for “more proportionate thresholds” for how much fuel has to be uplifted in the EU and a harmonized exemption framework.

The groups complained that “late and inconsistent” sustainability documentation, combined with “misalignment” between ReFuelEU and the ETS, can leave airlines subject to audit and prevent them from claiming emissions benefits from SAF they have paid for. A4E and ERA, which represent just about all of Europe’s major carriers and regional operators, called for harmonized documentation, earlier delivery timeliness, and rationalization of the ReFuelEU and ETS reporting requirements.

The paper states that SAF surcharges are too often “opaque” and not clearly linked to the actual verifiable amounts of SAF. It also alleges that insufficient competition between fuel suppliers at some airports undermines airlines’ ability to negotiate on pricing. The groups demanded greater transparency in these areas and the implementation of book-and-claim options to boost competition.

“A targeted fast-track revision in 2026 could strengthen legal certainty, reduce unnecessary administrative burden, and ensure that every euro spent on SAF translates into real decarbonization,” the joint report concluded.