European business aviation groups are pressing the European Commission to rethink proposed changes to the EU emissions trading scheme, warning that the draft revisions would widen carbon-pricing obligations for business aircraft and treat the sector unfairly. EBAA and GAMA are at the centre of the dispute, which comes as Brussels reviews how aviation emissions are regulated across Europe.
The concerns focus on the scope of the revised system and its impact on business jets, with the industry arguing that the proposal could pull more aircraft into the scheme while creating different obligations from those faced by other operators. The debate also extends to how the EU should use emissions revenues and support sustainable aviation fuel uptake, a point that has become increasingly contentious in the wider policy review.
The issue sits within a broader lobbying campaign by Europe’s aviation sector over the 2026 EU ETS review. In an industry statement published on 1 October, DESTINATION 2050 urged the Commission to keep decarbonisation and competitiveness in balance, calling for stronger SAF support, full reinvestment of ETS revenues into aviation decarbonisation, and no expansion of the scheme’s geographical scope. Business aviation bodies are now arguing that the latest proposals go beyond proportionate climate policy and risk placing their operators at a commercial disadvantage.