Page 67 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2018 publication
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Summer 2018 European Energy Innovation 67
SUSTAINABLE AVIATION
CEF has been and will remain that neither multiplicity of the
the corner stone of the transition instruments, nor a promising amount
towards a more environmentally- allocated for each of them are per se
friendly transport sector. While its guarantee of the success of the next
specific direct contribution to the MFF. The Commission promised a
aviation sector may seem limited modern, simple and flexible budget
compared to its amount for the and I should hope we deliver on this
other sectors, the implementation in the interinstitutional negotiations:
of the Single European Sky is its first the objectives and the budget
horizontal priority and the role of the should be clear for its beneficiaries,
SESAR project in this respect is not red tape must be cut and the tools
to be questioned. The first figures at our disposal must be flexible –
communicated early May indicate CEF in this regard has been quite
that the Commission proposes a well-performing in the last years
slight increase of the total budget for and funds have been effectively
CEF compared to the previous period, reallocated from one call to another.
for the benefit of the energy sector
and regrettably at the expense of the With respect to the specificities
transport sector. of the aviation sector, a particular
attention will need to be paid in the
In addition to CEF and equally – if next MFF to the complementarity
not more – relevant for the aviation of the CEF and the Horizon Europe
sector, the Commission emphasised programme, the nature of the
that the new research programme financial instruments and the funding
Horizon Europe will benefit from rates foreseen. I should also hope
an unprecedented amount of that a greater importance be given to
€97.6 billion. The programme is the dialogue with and between the
designed around three pillars industry and the research centres.
directly supporting researchers and Policy makers will not themselves
supporting the transition towards a cut on the emissions in the aviation
clean mobility is one of its explicit sector – and this should not even be
objectives. our objective: researchers and the
industry will do so. Our role, on the
Lastly, InvestEU is taking over the contrary, is to set the right guidelines
Juncker Plan and will be the new and conditions for the sector to be
integrated investment fund. It will in the capacity to deliver through
integrate into one streamlined innovation and the development of
structure all the centrally managed the appropriate technology.
financial instruments. The proposed
contribution from the EU budget Negotiations to achieve the right
should reach €15.2 billion to trigger financial framework in the coming
an expected €650 billion of additional months will be crucial for the
investment across the EU. If so far transformation of the transport
in the current programming period, sector, including for the aviation
transport projects only accounted for sector which is still often considered
8% of the total investment approved as being reluctantly dragged behind
by the EFSI, digital transformation in the fight against climate change.
and sustainable infrastructure are The air sector understood that
key objectives of the InvestEU, which reducing emissions is no longer a
opens opportunities awaiting to be choice but a key component for its
grasped for innovation in the aviation competitiveness and in the context
sector. of intense worldwide competition
that we know, the European aviation
With these figures in mind, and sector can certainly not afford that
regardless of the appreciation time and resources be lost and that
we make of it, one should recall opportunities be missed. l
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