EBAA, industry partners call on European Commission to enable SAF market efficiency with book and claim

The European Business Aviation Association, alongside a broad coalition of aerospace manufacturers, aircraft operators, airports, express-delivery companies, fuel producers and logistics-service providers, has cosigned a letter urging the European Commission to introduce further flexibilities to the ReFuelEU aviation regulation.

This joint industry letter, addressed to key European commissioners and directors-general, calls for the urgent adoption of a book-and-claim system to accelerate the deployment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across Europe.

With aviation’s decarbonization at the forefront of EU policy objectives, the scaling up of SAF production and distribution is crucial.

Current market conditions and regulatory challenges, however, present barriers to the widespread availability of SAF.

The ReFuelEU aviation regulation introduces an obligation for fuel suppliers to provide SAF at major European airports, but physical supply constraints and uneven SAF distribution create inefficiencies that risk increasing costs and delaying adoption.

The joint letter highlights several key concerns impacting the SAF market:

• Many airports, including non-EU airports, will not have access to SAF in the short to medium term due to physical-availability constraints.

• Uncertainties around feedstock definitions and a narrow scope of eligible materials have led to investment delays for new SAF production projects.

• SAF remains significantly more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel, with costs ranging from 1.5 to 10 times higher, impeding its economic viability.

• Current market rigidities prevent fuel suppliers and aircraft operators from efficiently accessing SAF, creating distortions that could disadvantage operators based on location.

To address these challenges, EBAA and its industry partners are calling for the European Commission to introduce a book-and-claim system—a mechanism that would allow SAF purchases and usage to be accounted for without requiring physical delivery to a specific airport.

This would:

• Create a more efficient SAF market by enabling fuel suppliers to distribute SAF strategically rather than being restricted to physical supply at mandated airports.

• Provide aircraft operators with greater flexibility in SAF sourcing, ensuring compliance with sustainability regulations while reducing unnecessary costs.

• Encourage investment in European SAF production by creating a stable and predictable market framework, thus strengthening the continent’s energy security.

• Align with the EU’s digital transition by leveraging existing biofuel-tracking systems, such as the Union Database for Biofuels, to prevent double-counting and facilitate regulatory compliance.

The letter also highlights that book and claim would not impose additional costs on the EU or member states, making it a cost-effective way to stimulate SAF production and adoption while helping aviation to meet the EU’s climate targets.

With this initiative, EBAA reaffirms its commitment to advocating for practical, market-driven solutions that accelerate SAF adoption.

As the European Commission continues to assess the future of SAF policy under the Clean Industrial Deal and Sustainable Transport Investment Plan, EBAA said it remains steadfast in assisting the European business-aviation sector to have the necessary tools to decarbonize efficiently and competitively.

Click here to access the letter.