EU
Eligible Aviation Fuels and Fossil Kerosene
The revised EU ETS Directive establishes a new support mechanism for the use of eligible aviation fuels (Article 3c(6)). To operationalise this support, the Commission is empowered to establish rules for the yearly calculation of the price difference between eligible aviation fuels and fossil kerosene. The rules are provided for in a Commission Delegated Regulation available on the internet here and here.
Aircraft Fuel Efficiency and Noise Levels
The European Commission welcomed a decision at the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Committee for Aviation Environmental Protection establishing new standards for aircraft fuel efficiency, to take effect on 31 December 2031, and noise levels for new aircraft, to come into force on 1 January 2029. It indicates that formal adoption is expected at an upcoming ICAO Council session. The ICAO states that its Committee's work on sustainable aviation fuels will accelerate the certification of new sustainable fuel pathways.
REFuelEU Aviation
The Commission reported on the EU's sustainable aviation fuels ("SAFs") market, and potential improvements to the SAF flexibility mechanism (which allows fuel suppliers to average SAF blending obligations across EU airports until 2035), in the areas of traceability, transparency, administration and reporting obligations.
IRELAND
Legislation
In the Spring Legislative Programme, the Government lists for priority drafting the Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill. It is intended to amend section 44 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 to enable the National Transport Authority to provide public transport infrastructure in the regional cities, as it can currently in the Greater Dublin Area. Heads of Bill are under preparation.
Strategy
The Department of Transport is consulting until 31 March 2025 on its Statement of Strategy.
EV Charging Infrastructure
Applications are open until 16 April 2025 for Phase 3 of the ZEVI-TII EV Recharging Infrastructure LDV National Road Grant Scheme. Further information on this scheme to support the roll out of high-power EV recharging infrastructure is available on the TII website. The Department of Transport also announced funding for a shared Charging Pilot Scheme, whereby homeowners would rent their EV chargers to others through a booking platform.
Greenways and Active Travel Infrastructure
The Department announced €67 million in funding for Greenways and National Roads Active Travel infrastructure in 2025.
This article contains a general summary of developments and is not a complete or definitive statement of the law. Specific legal advice should be obtained where appropriate.
