Activities of Pietro FIOCCHI related to 2021/0205(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport
Amendments (20)
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The functioning of the Union air transport sector is determined by its cross- border nature across the Union, and by its global dimension. The aviation internal market is one of the most integrated sectors in the Union, governed by uniform rules on market access and operating conditions. The air transport external policy is governed by rules established at global level at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), as well as by comprehensive multilateral or bilateral agreements between the Union or its Member States, and third countries. Therefore, it is important that in addition to domestic measures, the Union pushes forward changes in the global regulatory frameworks on aviation, in a manner consistent with the Paris Agreement and the polluter pays principle.
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In particular, it is essential to ensure a level playing field across the Union air transport market regarding aviation fuel, which account for a substantial share of aircraft operators’ costs. Variations in fuel prices can affect significantly aircraft operators’ economic performance and negatively impact competition on the market. Where differences in aviation fuel prices exist between Union airports or between Union and non-Union airports, this can lead aircraft operators to adapt their refuelling strategies for economic reasons. Fuel tankering increases aircraft’s fuel consumption and results in unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. Fuel tankering by aircraft operators accordingly undermines of the Union’s efforts towards environmental protection. Some aircraft operators are able to use favourable aviation fuel prices at their home base as a competitive advantage towards other airlines operating similar routes. This can have detrimental effects on the competitiveness of the sector and be harmful to air connectivity. This Regulation should set up measures to prevent such practices in order to avoid carbon leakage, including point-to-point carbon leakage, and other unnecessary environmental damage as well as to restore and preserve the conditions for fair competition on the air transport market.
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) A key objective of the common transport policy is sustainable development. This requires an integrated approach aimed at ensuring both the effective functioning of Union transport systems and protection of the environment. Sustainable development of air transport requires the introduction of measures aimed at reducing the carbongreenhouse gas emissions from aircraft flying from Union airports. Such measures should contribute to meeting the Union’s climate objectives by 2030 and 2050.
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) Improved efficiency of air transport operations could significantly reduce aviation’s emissions in the short term. The implementation of the Single European Sky could lead to a 10% reduction of CO2 emissions, and should be adopted before any additional fiscal measure on the sector. Best practices such as single-engine taxiing from the gate to the runway and vice versa, reduction of take-off weight, and continuous descent could further reduce the emissions of the sector and should be implemented in first place. Aircraft operators performing significantly well in terms of grams of CO2 per passenger / kilometre should be awarded and incentivised to further increase their efficiency.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The Communication on a Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy10 adopted by the Commission in December 2020 sets a course of action for the EU transport system to achieve its green and digital transformation and become more resilient. The decarbonisation of the air transport sector is a necessary and challenging process, especially in the short term. Technological advancements, pursued in European and national research and innovation aviation programmes have contributed to important emission reductions in the past decades. However, the global growth of air traffic, which has generated wide benefits for Union citizens and economy, has outpaced the sector’s emissions reductions. Whereas new technologies are expected to help reducing short-haul aviation’s reliance on fossil energy in the next decades, sustainable aviation fuels offer the onlyand new zero- emission aircraft technologies, such as electric-or hydrogen-powered aircraft, can play an important role in commercial aviation in the long term, sustainable aviation fuels offer, together with fleet renewal and the implementation of the Single European Sky, one of the main solutions for significant decarbonisation of all flight ranges, already in the short term. However, this potential is currently largely untapped. _________________ 10Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy – putting European transport on track for the future (COM/2020/789 final), 9.12.2020.
Amendment 99 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) SThis Regulation aims at establishing a common definition of sustainable aviation fuels. Currently, the most common sustainable aviation fuels are liquid, drop-in fuels, fully fungible with conventional aviation fuel and compatible with existing aircraft engines. Several production pathways of sustainable aviation fuels have been certified at global level for use in civil or military aviation. Sustainable aviation fuelsThey are technologically ready to play an important role in reducing emissions from air transport already in the very short term. TOtheyr are expected to account for a major part of the aviation fuel mix in the medium and long term. Further, with lternatives to power aircraft, such as electricity or liquid hydrogen from renewable sources, are expected to progressively contribute to the decarbonisation of air transport, beginning withe support of appropriate international fuel standards, sustainable aviation fuels might contribute to lowering the aromatic content of the final fuel used by an operator, thus helping to reduce other non-CO2 emissions. Other alternatives to power aircraft, such as electricity or liquid hydrogenhort-haul flights. This Regulation should also take into account these energy carriers, while directing investments in technologies which can reduce CO2 emissions also in the short-term. Sustainable aviation fuels are expected to progressively accountribute to the decarbonisation of air transport, beginning with short-haul flights for a major part of the aviation fuel mix in the medium term and they should replace the conventional fossil aviation fuels in the long term.
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) It is important that less-connected European regions with few alternative transport modes are not disproportionately affected by the obligations resulting from this Regulation and that the access of these regions to affordable essential goods and services is ensured.
Amendment 127 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels with a high potential for sustainability, commercial maturity and a high potential for innovation and growth to meet future needs should be promoted. This should support creating innovative and competitive fuels markets and ensure sufficient supply of sustainable aviation fuels for aviation in short and long term to contribute to Union transport decarbonisation ambitions, while strengthening Union’s efforts towards a high level of environmental protection. For this purpose, sustainable aviation fuels produced from feedstock listed in Parts A and B of Annex IX of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, as well as synthetic aviation fuels should be eligible. In particular, sustainable aviation fuels produced from feedstock listed in Part B of Annex IX of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 are essential, as currently the most commercially mature technology to decarbonise air transport already in the short term.
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) For sustainability reasons, only sustainable feed and food crop-based fuels should not be eligible. In particular,Concerns with indirect land-use change, which can occurs when the cultivation of crops for biofuels displaces traditional production of crops for food and feed purposes. Such additional demand increases the pressure on land and can lead to the extension of agricultural land into areas with high-carbon stock, such as forests, wetlands and peatland, causing additional greenhouse gas emissions and loss of biodiversity concerns. Research has shown that the scale of the effect depends on a variety of factors, including the type of feedstock used for fuel production, the level of additional demand for feedstock triggered by the use of biofuels and the extent to which land with high-carbon stock is protected worldwide. The highest risks of indirect land-use change have been identified for biofuels, fuels produced from feedstock for which a significant expansion of the production area into land with high-carbon stock is observed. Accordingly, feed and food crop-based fuels should not be promoted. This approach is in line Union policy and in particular with Directive (EU) 2018/2001 which limits and sets a cap on the use of such biofuels in road and rail transport, considering their lower environmental benefits, lower performance in terms of greenhouse reduction potential and broader sustainability concerns. In addition to the greenhouse gas emissions linked to indirect land-use change – which is capable of negating some or all greenhouse gas emissions savings of individual biofuels – indirect land-use change poses risks also to biodiversity. This risk is particularly serious in connection with a potentially large expansion of production determined by a significant increase in demand. The aviation sector has currently insignificant levels of demand for food and feed crops- based biofuels, since over 99% of currently used aviation fuels are of fossil origin. It is therefore appropriate to avoid the creation of a potentially large demand of food and feed crops-based biofuels by promoting their use under this Regulation. The non-eligibility of crop- based biofuels under this Regulation also minimises any risk to slow down the decarbonisation of road transport, which could otherwise result from a shift of crop-based biofuels from the road to the aviation sector. It is essential to minimise such a shift, as road transport currently remains by far the most polluting transport sector, are already addressed in Directive (EU) 2018/2001 by means of a cap on the contribution of crop-based biofuels for the Union targets including aviation, as well as a delegated act on high-ILUC risk biofuels, which are to be phased out to 0% by 2030.
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) With the introduction and ramp-up of sustainable aviation fuels at Union airports, practices of fuel tankering may be exacerbated as a consequence of aviation fuel costs increases. Tankering practices are unstainable and should be avoided as they undermine the Union’s efforts to reduce environmental impacts from transport. Those would be contrary to the aviation decarbonisation objectives as increased aircraft weight would increase fuel consumption and related emissions on a given flight. Tankering practices also put at risk the level playing field in the Union between aircraft operators, and also between airports. This Regulation should therefore require aircraft operators to refuel prior to departure from a given Union airport. The amount of fuel uplifted prior to departures from a given Union airport should be commensurate with the amount of fuel necessary to operate the flights departing from that airport, taking into account the necessary compliance with fuel safety rules. The requirement ensures that equal conditions for operations in the Union applying equally to Union and foreign operators, while ensuring high level of environmental protection and avoiding all types of carbon leakage, including point-to-point carbon leakage. As the Regulation does not define a maximum share of sustainable aviation fuels in all aviation fuels, airlines and fuel suppliers may pursue more ambitious environmental policies with higher sustainable aviation fuels uptake and supply in their overall network of operations, while avoiding fuel tankering.
Amendment 158 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26 a (new)
Recital 26 a (new)
(26a) A comprehensive Union labelling system for the environmental performance of aviation should be established that can provide users of aviation services clear and easily understandable information about the environmental performance of aviation. The creation of such a labelling system could draw on existing and ongoing work at Union level.
Amendment 159 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) It is essential that aircraft operators can claim the use of sustainable aviation fuels under greenhouse gas schemes such as the EU Emissions Trading System or CORSIA, depending on the route of their flights. Operators can claim the use of sustainable aviation fuel under the EU Emissions Trading System or CORSIA depending on the scheme covering the route for which the sustainable aviation fuel has been uplifted. Sustainable aviation fuel uplifted for a flight covered under CORSIA cannot be claimed under the EU Emissions Trading System, and vice versa. However, it is essential that this regulation should not lead to a double counting of emissions reductions. Aircraft operators should only be allowed to claim benefits for the use of an identical batch of sustainable aviation fuels once. Fuel suppliers should be requested to provide free of charge to aircraft operators any information pertaining to the properties of the sustainable aviation fuel sold to that aircraft operator and that is relevant for reporting purposes by the aircraft operator under this Regulation or greenhouse gas schemes.
Amendment 175 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) A transitional period of 510 years should be provided to allow for a reasonable amount of time for aviation fuel suppliers, Union airports and aircraft operators to make the necessary technological and logistical investments. During this phase, aviation fuel containing higher shares of sustainable aviation fuel may be used to compensate for lower shares of sustainable aviation fuels or for the reduced availability of conventional aviation fuel at other airports.
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 5
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 5
— ‘sustainable aviation fuels’ (‘SAF’) means drop-in aviation fuels that are either synthetic aviation fuels, advanced biofuels as defined in Article 2, second paragraph, point 34 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, or biofuels produced from the feedstock listed in Part B of Annex IX to that Directive or biofuels in aviation produced respecting the sustainability criteria set in Directive (EU) 2018/2001, which comply with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7) of that Directive and are certified in accordance with Article 30 of this Directive;
Amendment 227 #
Fuel suppliers may demonstrate compliance with the obligation provided for in paragraph 1 by using the mass balance system referred to in Article 30 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 when fuel suppliers can prove that mass balance schemes avoid duplication of logistics systems and greenhouse gas emissions, also due to trucking.
Amendment 269 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Aircraft operators shall not claim benefits for the use of an identical batch of sustainable aviation fuels under more than one greenhouse gas scheme. A batch of sustainable aviation fuel can be claimed only under the greenhouse gas scheme covering the route for which the sustainable aviation fuel has been uplifted. Together with the report referred to in Article 7, aircraft operators shall provide the Agency with:
Amendment 319 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
By way of derogation from Article 4, from 1 January 2025 until 31 December 202934, for each reporting period, an aviation fuel supplier may supply the minimum share of sustainable aviation fuel defined in Annex I as a weighted average over all the aviation fuel it supplied across Union airports for that reporting period.
Amendment 319 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
By way of derogation from Article 4, from 1 January 2025 until 31 December 202934, for each reporting period, an aviation fuel supplier may supply the minimum share of sustainable aviation fuel defined in Annex I as a weighted average over all the aviation fuel it supplied across Union airports for that reporting period.
Amendment 322 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a Article 13 a Opt-in for airports and aircraft operators An airport situated on Union territory, or an aircraft operator operating from Union airports, which do not fall within the scope of the definitions set out in Article 3 may request to be treated as an Union airport or aircraft operator, respectively, under this Regulation if that airport or that aircraft operator informs accordingly the Commission, the Agency and the competent authorities. Airports which request to be treated as a Union airport and fall under the scope of Article 3 must ensure that their opt-in does not reduce or discourage connectivity.
Amendment 322 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a Article 13 a Opt-in for airports and aircraft operators An airport situated on Union territory, or an aircraft operator operating from Union airports, which do not fall within the scope of the definitions set out in Article 3 may request to be treated as an Union airport or aircraft operator, respectively, under this Regulation if that airport or that aircraft operator informs accordingly the Commission, the Agency and the competent authorities. Airports which request to be treated as a Union airport and fall under the scope of Article 3 must ensure that their opt-in does not reduce or discourage connectivity.