Deadline for fuel suppliers to provide Sustainable Aviation Fuel documentation has passed

European Regions Airline Association (ERA) has raised urgent concerns after the 14 February deadline for fuel suppliers to provide Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) documentation to aircraft operators passed amid widespread reports of missing, delayed or inconsistent information.

Members across Europe warn that gaps in certification risk undermining their ability to comply with EU requirements and access financial support through the Emissions Trading System linked to SAF uptake.

Under the ReFuelEU Aviation mandate, fuel suppliers are required to issue SAF certificates containing technical data necessary to verify usage, report to national authorities and claim ETS allowances. These allowances are designed to help bridge the substantial price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF, which can cost up to 10 times more.

Montserrat Barriga, Director General of ERA, said: “ERA members have acted in good faith and are fully committed to meeting their environmental obligations. But without timely, accurate and harmonised documentation from fuel suppliers, airlines face a direct barrier between compliance and the financial support that makes SAF uptake possible. The ETS allowances reserved for SAF are not a bonus, they are essential to help close the price gap. Delays and inconsistencies at supplier level put millions of euros at risk and leave airlines penalised for delays they did not cause.”

She added: “This first year of implementation is a real test for the entire SAF system. If Europe wants airlines to scale up SAF use, the administrative framework must work in practice, not just on paper. Regional airlines cannot be left carrying the consequences of bottlenecks elsewhere in the supply chain.”

ERA is calling for immediate provision of complete and standardised documentation, greater alignment of reporting metrics across Member States and a more predictable compliance timeline.

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