Other Key Points
1. Transport & sustainability - Developments on the legislations relevant to achieving the EU's climate targets RefuelEU Aviation
The next interinstitutional negotiation on RefuelEU Aviation, the initiative aimed at significantly pushing for the uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) is expected to take place on 25 April 2023. This is said to be the final negotiation among the EU institutions to determine the final details of the initiate.
Renewable Energy Directive
On 30 March 2023, the EU institutions reached a political agreement in the final interinstitutional negotiation on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). They agreed to increase the share of renewable energy to 42.5% by 2030 with an option to reach 45%.
The negotiators also agreed on sub-targets for specific sectors like transport, industry, buildings, and district heating and cooling, to speed up the integration of renewables in slower sectors. In transport, member states can choose a binding target of 14.5% greenhouse gas reduction or a binding share of 29% renewables by 2030. View more intel on the agreement here.
Green Claims Initiative
On 22 March 2023, the European Commission unveiled its proposal for a Green Claims Directive, aimed at tackling greenwashing and improving consumer trust in environmental claims. This legislation is set to establish a clear framework for environmental claims and labels, promote genuine efforts in developing environmentally friendly products and services, and empower consumers with trustworthy information. The proposed directive focuses on voluntary "green claims" made by businesses and would apply to business-to-consumer commercial practices, as defined in the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. 2. Other updates Council paving the way for digitalised Schengen visas
EU member states' ambassadors have agreed to a proposal to digitalise the visa procedure, allowing for online applications and replacing the current visa sticker with a digital visa. The goal is to improve the efficiency of the process and enhance security in the Schengen area. The new rules will create a visa application platform, and in-person appearances will only be required for certain cases. The digital visa will be issued in a secure 2D barcode format, reducing the risks related to counterfeit and stolen visa stickers. Now the file will go into interinstitutional negotiations with the European Parliament to finalise the details on this file. More information can be found here.
No flight cap at Schiphol after all
A Dutch court has overturned a government order that Schiphol must begin capping yearly flights at 460,000 as announced earlier this year, to address environmental problems, and prevent noise pollution. The court sided with KLM and International Air Transport Association (IATA), who launched the action against the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport flight cap. View more information here.
Increase or no increase in private jet flights?
According to recent research commissioned by Greenpeace Central, the number of private jet flights in Europe increased by 64 percent last year, with CO2 emissions from such flights more than doubling. Greenpeace has urged the EU and national governments to ban private jets.
However, the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has criticized Greenpeace for spreading "misleading data" about business aviation in its recent report that private flights in the EU increased by 64% in 2022. The EBAA argues that the report was distorted and failed to take into account pre-COVID data. The EBAA pointed to a Eurocontrol report showing only a 7% increase in business aviation traffic compared to 2019. The EBAA claims the report compared 2022 business flights to a low point during COVID, creating a false image of growth. Tags: GBTA | 
