A group of EU Member States has launched a new coalition aimed at accelerating the production and use of synthetic aviation fuels, as the bloc seeks to cut emissions from the aviation sector. Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain announced their participation in the eSAF Early Movers Coalition on the sidelines of the Transport Council meeting in Brussels.
The initiative stems from the EU’s Sustainable Transport Investment Plan and highlights the growing importance of synthetic aviation fuels in aviation decarbonisation. Under the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, synthetic fuels must make up 1.2% of fuel supplied at EU airports by 2030, rising to 35% by 2050.
The Commission notes that more than 40 European eSAF projects are currently awaiting final investment decisions, signalling both industrial interest and the need for increased financial backing to maintain Europe’s leadership in the sector.
Coalition members intend to support the organisation of double-sided auctions for eSAF, with the first auction scheduled for 2026. Such auctions are designed to give producers long-term revenue certainty while offering buyers competitively priced short-term contracts.
The coalition will begin work immediately and remains open to additional Member States wishing to join.
