Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Airlines for Europe (A4E) is strategically engaged with European climate policy for aviation, with both positive and negative positioning in 2023-25. Despite stating top-line support for 2050 net-zero aviation emissions and positive positioning on the EU SAF mandate, A4E has advocated against numerous other EU climate policies, including an EU kerosene tax and non-CO2 monitoring, reporting and verification requirements.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: In a March 2025 public statement, Airlines for Europe (A4E) endorsed a 2050 net-zero emissions goal for aviation. However, A4E frequently emphasized competitiveness and cost concerns resulting from climate policies for aviation, including in an April 2024 position paper. A4E also signed the Antwerp Declaration in May 2024 which advocated for an EU industrial Deal, entailing the revision of existing legislation and avoiding the implementation of detailed regulation. This echoes the minutes of an October 2023 meeting with DG MOVE, accessed via FOI request, where A4E supported some measures under the EU Fit for 55 package but emphasized cost impacts of combined measures.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: A4E advocated for increased SAF allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) in a March 2024 Fact Sheet. As a member of Destination50, A4E supported continued SAF allowances until after 2030 and advocated for carbon removals to be included under the EU ETS by 2026 in its February 2025 Roadmap. Regarding the non-CO2 monitoring, reporting and verification requirements under the EU ETS, A4E advocated to limit it to a sampling measure with a limited number of flights in an April 2024 position paper alongside a phased approach only requiring airlines to report on what they can 'usefully contribute' until 2027 in a May 2024 joint proposal to DG MOVE, accessed via FOI. Finally, in its July 2024 regulatory feedback, A4E emphasized concerns on timing, fuel testing and default values for aromatics.
A4E supported ReFuelEU Aviation and advocated for the introduction of a book-and-claim system in a January 2025 Report. It also supported incremental increases to SAF targets, rather than stepped 5-year targets, but opposed any increase to SAF and e-fuel targets under ReFuelEU in a February 2025 open letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. . Through the coalition Destination50, A4E also generally supported policies incentivizing the production and uptake of SAF but advocated for current regulations to be simplified in another February 2025 open letter to Ursula von der Leyen. In an April 2024 position paper, A4E called for SAF incentives while criticizing Europe's mandate approach. A4E also emphasized SAF supply and cost concerns resulting from the EU SAF mandate in a March 2025 public statement.
Concerning the sustainability of SAFs, A4E appeared to support best practice that avoids significant trade-offs related to issues such as food security, including in a October 2023 position paper. However, through its participation in Destination50, A4E advocated for the removal of non-biogenic CO2 restrictions and the alignment of feedstocks sustainability criteria for SAFs in a February 2025 open letter to Ursula von der Leyen.
A4E supported the EU carbon border adjustment mechanism for EU aviation in a position paper in April 2024 and in a July 2024 podcast.
Positioning on Energy Transition: In 2023-25, A4E actively advocated against numerous EU measures to decarbonize aviation. A4E opposed an EU jet fuel tax in an April 2024 position paper and a September 2024 press article, asserting the tax would impede decarbonization. A4E also opposed the phase-out of EU fossil fuel subsidies in an October 2023 Financial Times Article.
In a December 2023 Press Release, A4E Managing Director, Ourania Georgoutsakou, appeared to oppose Denmark’s passenger tax. A4E also advocated against the minimum ticket price for flights in France in September 2023, May 2023 and August 2023 news articles. A4E appeared unsupportive of Schiphol Airport's flight cap in an April 2025 press release and its Managing Director, Ourania Georgoutsakou, further opposed the Netherlands’ proposed flight cap at Schiphol airport in a September 2023 CGTN article describing the measure as “arbitrary, ill-thought out and undercuts procedures normally used”.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q2 2025.