Lawyers for Dassault and the EBAA are seeking to overturn legislation that excludes business aviation from an approved list of sustainable economic activities.
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The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has joined Dassault Aviation in taking legal action against the European Commission’s Taxonomy Delegated Act, which it says discriminates against the industry. On July 4, attorneys acting for the industry group told the European Union (EU) General Court that it is intervening with assistance in the case launched by the French aircraft manufacturer earlier this year.
The so-called EU Taxonomy is a classification system that identifies approved sustainable economic activities with the intention of helping companies and investors make decisions over sustainable investments and “green” financing. According to EBAA secretary general Holger Krahmer, the European Commission specifically excluded business aviation on ideological grounds in a way that discourages investment in the sector’s efforts to decarbonize.
According to Brussels-based EBAA, the exclusion undermines the competitiveness of European business aircraft manufacturers, as well as operators and other companies. It maintained that the move discourages financial institutions from funding the production and acquisition of new, more fuel-efficient aircraft with lower carbon emissions.
“The exclusion of business aviation from the EU Taxonomy framework is a significant oversight that fails to recognize the sector’s substantial contributions to sustainability and technological advancement,” Krahmer said. “Furthermore, with reference to the EU Treaties, the EU Commission does not have the right to subject individual sectors to discrimination in a legal act without further justification. The Commission has carried out an arbitrary political act that must be corrected.”
Dassault Aviation filed its case against the European Commission on February 14 seeking to annul an amendment to the existing Taxonomy Delegated Act that was made on June 27, 2023. EBAA and other industry groups had opposed the amendment, which effectively excluded business aviation from the act’s provisions, but the European Commission pressed ahead after a series of public consultations.
EBAA Backs Dassault Lawsuit against European Commission
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EBAA has joined Dassault Aviation in taking legal action against the European Commission’s Taxonomy Delegated Act, which it says discriminates against the industry. On July 4, attorneys acting for the industry group told the European Union (EU) General Court that it is intervening with assistance in the case launched by the French aircraft manufacturer earlier this year.
The so-called EU Taxonomy is a classification system that identifies approved sustainable economic activities with the intention of helping companies and investors make decisions over sustainable investments and “green” financing. According to EBAA secretary general Holger Krahmer, the European Commission specifically excluded business aviation on ideological grounds in a way that discourages investment in the sector’s efforts to decarbonize.
According to Brussels-based EBAA, the exclusion undermines the competitiveness of European business aircraft manufacturers, as well as operators and other companies. It maintained that the move discourages financial institutions from funding the production and acquisition of new, more fuel-efficient aircraft with lower carbon emissions.
Dassault Aviation filed its case against the European Commission on February 14 seeking to annul an amendment to the existing Taxonomy Delegated Act that was made on June 27, 2023. EBAA and other industry groups had opposed the amendment, which effectively excluded business aviation from the act’s provisions, but the European Commission pressed ahead after a series of public consultations.