Document 2 Redacted.pdf

(Virtual) Meeting with A4E Steering Board
Ref. Ares(2021)3748647 - 08/06/2021
Brussels, 25 March 2021

Commissioner Adina Vălean

(Virtual) Meeting with A4E Steering Board

25 March 2021
Brussels

Member of Cabinet responsible:
Member accompanying:
DG participant(s): (including contact number):

A4E Steering Board
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(Virtual) Meeting with A4E Steering Board
Brussels, 25 March 2021
•  However,  for those wishing to enter the EU from outside, different rules apply [cf.
Council Recommendation 2020/912 as amended on 2 February].  This  Council
recommendation strikes a  balance between health requirements and allowing
essential entry. [Member States should require all persons travel ing for any essential or
non-essential reason, with the exception of transport and frontier workers, to have a negative
PCR test taken at the earliest 72 hours before departure.]  We have  urged  all Member
States to apply a coordinated approach as laid out in Recommendation 2020/912.
When the time and epidemiological situation are right, COM may propose a revision,
potentially granting exemptions to those with Covid-19 immunity.
•  We have consistently  emphasised the need for  clear, comprehensive and timely
information  about  any  restrictions to free movement. Stakeholders  should be
informed well before any new measure comes into effect.
Digital Green Certificates
•  Last week  [17 March],  COM  proposed  a  Digital Green Certificate, consisting of a
vaccination, test or recovery certificate. These could be key to facilitating free
movement / getting Europe moving again.  (A fragmented approach would mean
mutually inconsistent requirements across Member States and ongoing disruption.)
•  If  a Member State accepts proof of vaccination, testing or recovery and  waives
certain restrictions, it should accept certificates issued under the regulation by other
Member States under the same conditions.
COM will try to ensure swift adoption in order to have the Digital Green Certificate in
place before the summer.
•  The possession of a vaccination certificate would not be a pre-condition to exercise
the right to free movement or to using cross-border passenger transport services.
•  Our  work takes into account international standards, such as those developed by
the World Health Organisation (WHO) or the International Civil Aviation Organisation
(ICAO).
•  The airline industry would be welcome to join deployment efforts by setting up the
infrastructure necessary to read and verify Digital Green Certificates.
•  The Digital Green  Certificates would not,  however,  apply to travel with third
countries. In time, we wil  have to see if a similar approach can be taken for these
(third)  countries.  Currently,  the health situation both  within  and outside  the EU
militates against lifting of restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU.
Passenger Locator Forms
•  We are working on an operational Passenger Locator Form (PLF), to be ready for
Member States ahead of the summer break.  We are working on both the technical
and legal aspects of the initiative.
•  On the technical side, our intention is to link the two solutions currently under
development  - the Healthy Gateways PLF and the exchange platform - by June. All
Member States wil  have the opportunity to connect to the exchange platform.
On the legal side, we are working on  a legal basis for the lawful processing of
personal data under the GDPR Regulation.
•  We are also working on political “buy-in” to the PLF. The PLF exchange platform’s
effectiveness and value  added  will  depend on the number of Member States that
join.
AVIATION DECARBONISATION
Sustainability
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(Virtual) Meeting with A4E Steering Board
Brussels, 25 March 2021
•  Transitioning to sustainability is the aviation sector’s license to grow. It  is  in  both
your interest and that of society as a whole.
•  Economic sectors need  “roadmaps”  for  how they intend to decarbonise.  I  thus
welcome the “Destination 2050”  decarbonisation roadmap that A4E recently
published  (with four other key aviation sector associations in Europe).  [A “Climate
Mission” accompanied the document, setting out what industry wil  do and what governments
should do.]
•  As regards the proposed “EU Pact for Sustainable Aviation”, I favour every initiative
that improves our dialogue, on condition that it is transparent and within the limits
imposed by EU treaties.  Aligning the industry roadmap  and  the  regulatory and
financial framework will bring results.
European Green Deal (EGD)
•  EGD remains a top priority. Even in the crisis, the transport sector can contribute to
and profit from EGD.
•  Our Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (SSMS) specifies what the Green Deal
means for transport. It contains political priorities,  policies and actions to promote
transport decarbonisation, including in the aviation sector.
•  I would welcome your input to the design of the various policy actions relevant  to
your industry.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)
•  ReFuelEU Aviation is underway! I welcome industry’s support for the initiative.  SAF
will be essential if aviation is to reduce its emissions and contribute to EU 2030 and
2050 climate targets.
•  A blending requirement seems the best way to  increase  SAF  production and use
over time … and we are looking at possible designs. The fuel industry needs time to
ramp up capacity  and  production. Targets must be realistic  -  initially modest but
becoming  more  ambitious beyond  2030

.  Your views on targets?
•  We  intend to  focus mainly on advanced biofuels and synthetic fuels. Requiring a
level of SAF blending will give a signal in favour of the large investments needed to
scale up SAF production.
Of course, the law will also need flanking measures to promote the development of
the market.  We must also always keep in the mind the need for a level playing field.
•

“Fit for 55” and Emissions Trading System (ETS) Proposals
•  Our communication on Stepping up Europe’s 2030 climate ambition made clear that
“in accordance with its international commitment to economy-wide action under the
Paris Agreement, the EU should continue to regulate at least intra-EU aviation
emissions in the EU” and that for aviation, we wil  propose a reduction in the free
allocation of allowances.
•  The “Fit for 55” package [which wil  cover many sectors, including for example land use,
energy efficiency, etc.]  should  incentivise efficiency, drive decarbonisation through
innovation, avoid carbon leakage and ensure a competitive but level playing field for
European airlines within the EU and beyond.
Our  internal work on  impact assessments  is  underway. COM will  propose  a
legislative package in June.
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(Virtual) Meeting with A4E Steering Board
Brussels, 25 March 2021
•  Thus, it is important to look at the epidemiological situation in particular areas, rather
than  in  Member States  (this being the main basis of the amended Council
recommendation).
•  COM highlighted this in  a  16 February letter  from  Commissioners Johansson and
Reynders and repeated the message in administrative letters sent on 22 February to
six Member States which impose travel / entry bans [BE, DE, DK, HU, FI, SE].
Can a Member State prohibit non-essential travel from a third country?
•  If a Member State decides to prohibit non-essential travel, it must do so while
respecting EU law. It must take account of the epidemiological situation and respect
the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination.
•  Whether a Member State can prohibit its own citizens and residents travelling to a
third country is mainly a question of national law (and proportionality).
When will COM  propose  a revised Council recommendation on lifting the
restriction on non-essential travel into the EU?
•  Given the health situation inside and outside the EU, it remains too early to
speculate on this.
Digital Green Certificates
In practical / technical terms, how would inter-operability work? Is a new EU app
necessary?
•  Every Member State would develop its own national  system for Covid-19  green
certificates. National apps could be developed. (They are, however,  not the only
option.  Paper certificates with unique identifier features are also possible.)
•  Common standards would ensure that the systems are interoperable, and the
certificates mutually recognisable across Member States.
•  Inter-operability with the systems of countries outside the EU could  be ensured
through collaboration with the WHO and / or other international bodies.
How could a green certificate be checked?
•  Covid-19 certificates would contain verification systems (e.g. a QR code based on a
unique identifier). This could be checked through a secure online system, to ensure
that the code is genuine and associated with the person presenting it.
•  Only strictly relevant data would be checked - on the basis of an appropriate legal
authorisation.    (Thus,  a  doctor  might  need  full  access, while for others a simple
confirmation of vaccination or test status may suffice).
COM should redouble its efforts in light of the approaching  summer season –
which will be crucial for the survival of the travel and tourism sector.
•  This is indeed a COM priority. The December European Council requested a
coordinated approach on  vaccination certificates  and on the mutual recognition of
test results.
•  Member States have agreed on inter-operability guidelines, defining a common data
set for COVID-19 certificates and a system of unique identifiers for each person’s
certificate with a common trust framework.
We need a harmonised EU framework for travel-related testing.
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(Virtual) Meeting with A4E Steering Board
Brussels, 25 March 2021
•  Many Member States already require from travellers proof of a  negative test, but
each Member State has its own requirements. A common approach on the content,
format, principles and technical standards, could help travellers avoid the significant
disruption that results from diverging requirements and documentation.
•  In October and November 2020, COM published recommendations on COVID-19
testing strategies and the use of rapid antigen tests, defining i.a.  minimum
performance requirements to allow mutual recognition.  We have worked
incrementally through the eHealth Network to develop mechanisms, technical
requirements and infrastructure for interoperable vaccination certificates.
•  The Health Security Commit ee has agreed a common list of rapid antigen tests that
have been validated by at least one Member State and provides an overview of the
sensitivity and specificity levels of the most commonly used rapid antigen tests.
Agreement was reached on a list of rapid antigen tests which Member States will
mutually recognise for public health measures.
Any digital EU verification system for testing and vaccination should be in line
with international standards.
•  Throughout, COM and the Member States have worked closely with WHO experts.
•  EU and WHO positions align on a number of issues. Both aim for data minimisation,
systemic  simplicity,  inclusiveness,  avoiding  centralised data storage  and  putting
control in the hands of citizens.
•  This cooperation has also promoted Europe as a leading force in developing global
standards.
Could the digital green certificate be applied to third countries?
•  The proposed regulation already foresees a mechanism to recognise certificates
issued by third countries.  When the time is right, we may build on this. COM could
propose a revised Council Recommendation, potentially with exemptions for those
with a vaccination certificate or COVID-19 immunity.  However, it is still too early.
•  It wil  take some time for the  WHO and others to set up a global system. The
European inter-operability scheme wil  therefore be an important model. European
certificates should be acceptable also in countries outside the EU.
Passenger Locator Forms
What is the state of play on the Passenger Locator Form (PLF)?
•  Twelve Member States already have their own individual electronic PLF systems.
A project is underway to allow this information to be shared for contact tracing
across the EU.  The aim is to have as many Member States as possible connected
to an exchange platform as soon as possible.
•  EASA built the exchange platform and connected three volunteer Member States
(IT, ES, SK).  The platform is technically ready for use. Only legal arrangements at
Member State level must be put in place to support the sharing of data (i.e. bilateral
agreements among the participating Member States).  As soon as the Member
States are ready, the platform can go live.
•  We encourage any Member State with a digital PLF system to volunteer for the
project. The more participants  there are, the greater the value  of the exchange
platform.
Why are not more Member States joining?
•  COM is currently in discussion with the Member States, notably those with digital
PLF systems, explaining the system and encouraging their participation.
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(Virtual) Meeting with A4E Steering Board
Brussels, 25 March 2021
•  Given the current COVID-19 crisis, the EU has relieved airlines from the “use-it-or-
lose-it”  rule  [that obliges airlines to fly 80% of their slots to maintain (grandfather) their
entire slot portfolio].
•  The initial relief was a ful  waiver.  The most recent slot relief (that wil  apply for the
summer 2021 scheduling season, starting 28 March 2021) allows airlines to protect
50% of their slots but requires them to use the remaining slots at a rate of 50% to
keep them for the following seasons. This should  protect airlines,  yet ensure
competition in airport capacity.
•  Looking ahead, COM may extend the relief (until the summer 2022 scheduling
season), provided that objective criteria (air traffic, load factors, fleet utilisation rates)
are met.
My thanks to A4E for working with DG MOVE and providing data and assistance on
this.

A4E Steering Board
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