Recital 11

(11)In its Communication of 9 December 2020, ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy – putting European transport on track for the future’ ⁷ , the Commission pointed out that all modes of transport are indispensable for the transport system, and that aviation plays a crucial role in fostering cohesion, connectivity, and access to the internal market for all regions. Aviation has an important potential to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, to contribute to the decarbonisation of transport, and thus has the potential to contribute substantially to climate change mitigation. It is therefore necessary to lay down technical screening criteria for the manufacturing of aircraft, leasing, passenger and freight air transport and air transport ground handling operations. Zero-emission commercial air transport operated with zero direct CO 2 emissions or entirely on sustainable aviation fuels is not yet technologically available. Until such zero-emission commercial air transport is technologically available, air transport should be considered as a transitional activity, with the technical screening criteria based on best available technologies for airframe and engine fuel efficiency, and based on the potential to reduce substantially greenhouse gas emissions over the life cycle of aircraft through the progressive uptake of sustainable aviation fuels. To facilitate financing of more efficient and environmentally friendly best-in-class aircrafts, while avoiding lock-in effects of more carbon intensive assets and not hampering the development of zero-emission commercial air transport, the replacement ratio, that captures the proportion of aircraft permanently withdrawn from use to aircraft delivered at the global level, should only apply to the revenues generated by activities that comply with the technical screening criteria. The Commission, with support of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency established by Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council ⁸ , may publish the replacement ratio to support the economic operators in their disclosures. In line with the transitional nature of the activities and to take account of the market evolution of aircraft technologies, the technical screening criteria for aircraft manufacturing should be applicable until 2032, and by that date those technical screening criteria should be reviewed to ensure compliance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 in line with technological developments. Furthermore, the level of the use or blending of sustainable aviation fuels represented in the technical screening criteria should be reviewed every three years to take account of the emerging sustainable aviation fuels technologies and the current and expected future availability of sustainable aviation fuels in the market. However, in the area of climate change adaptation, certain disaster risk management related activities can only be supported by specifically designed and equipped aircrafts. It might therefore be necessary to establish separate technical screening criteria in a subsequent step for the manufacture of those aircraft.