Aviation Sustainability

As part of the European Union ‘Fit for 55’ package, the ReFuelEU regulation aims to support the decarbonisation of the aviation sector by increasing the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) across Europe. These fuels have much lower embedded CO₂ emissions than traditional kerosene jet fuel. The regulation introduces obligations for fuel suppliers, airports and aircraft operators to ensure a consistent and growing supply and use of SAF at large EU airports. The blend of SAF increases from 2% in 2025 to 70% in 2025.

In Ireland, the Irish Aviation Authority has been designated as one of the national competent authorities responsible for enforcing ReFuelEU regulation. Our primary responsibilities include:

Oversight of aircraft operators and airports: ensuring compliance with the regulation’s requirements, including the monitoring of fuel uplift data
Preventing economic tankering: verifying that aircraft operators uplift 90% of the fuel they need for their flights and don’t bring in excess fuel from outside the EU
Reviewing exemption requests: assessing and deciding on exemption applications submitted by aircraft operators under specific operational or technical circumstances

The IAA supports the Department of Transport, which leads national policy on aviation sustainability and the National Oil Reserves Agency - the other designated competent authority responsible for fuel suppliers under the regulation.

We also maintain ongoing engagement with EASA, the European Commission (DG MOVE) and other European regulatory bodies to ensure harmonised implementation and to contribute to the development of technical guidance and best practices across the EU.

The IAA is committed to supporting a smooth and effective rollout of the ReFuelEU regulation in Ireland, contributing to the broader goal of reducing aviation’s environmental impact while maintaining safe and efficient air transport.