Karousos discusses ‘Fit for 55’ in Athens

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos met his Greek counterpart Kostas Karamanlis on Tuesday in Athens to exchange views on the measures included in the new EU legislative package called ‘Fit for 55’.

The package is a set of proposals revising and updating EU legislation aimed at ensuring that EU policies are in line with the climate goals decided by the European Council and the European Parliament.

The name ‘Fit for 55’ refers to the EU’s target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent  by 2030​. The proposed package aims to bring EU legislation in line with the 2030 goal.

Karousos and Karamanlis focused on the proposed new regulations affecting the aviation sector, contained in the ReFuelEU Aviation initiative.

In the draft regulation, the Commission proposed, that fuel suppliers distributed sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), with an increasing share of SAF (including synthetic aviation fuels, commonly known as e-fuels) over time.  The aviation sector has been hit hard over the past couple of years by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Karousos expressed concerns regarding the economic impact of the proposed legislation on the island and on peripheral EU states in general.

He explained that Cyprus had submitted a number of suggestions which, if incorporated into the legislative package, would limit the negative impact on the aviation, tourism and economic sectors.

On his part, Karamanlis said he shares Cyprus’ concerns on the “Fit for 55” package, especially as far as the aviation sector was concerned.

Both countries, he assured, were committed to the ambitious objectives of the package in relation to the environment and the reduction of emissions.

The two will meet again on June 2 in Luxembourg at the general meeting of EU transport ministers.