Ireland’s EU Presidency: aviation competitiveness and climate policy in focus

By Róman Kok, Director Public Affairs and Communications EBAA 

Ireland will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2026, setting the tone for a busy political semester in Brussels. 

Its transport agenda is expected to focus on competitiveness, decarbonisation and security, with aviation competitiveness, transport simplification, passenger rights, multimodal connectivity and the future EU Aviation Strategy all likely to feature prominently. 

For business aviation, one of the key files to watch will be the upcoming review of the EU Emissions Trading System. The debate is expected to look again at how aviation emissions are priced, including the possible treatment of flights between Europe and third countries. 

EBAA supports the sector’s transition towards net zero and recognises the role of market-based measures as part of Europe’s climate framework. At the same time, any future policy must be practical, proportionate and adapted to the reality of non-scheduled operations. 

Business aviation does not operate like scheduled airline traffic. Routes are irregular, aircraft are often deployed according to time-sensitive needs, and many operators are small or medium-sized businesses. This means that climate measures must be designed in a way that supports decarbonisation without creating unnecessary administrative complexity or undermining connectivity. 

Aviation climate policy will only be effective if it links ambition with workable solutions. This includes access to sustainable aviation fuel, credible recognition of SAF use, simplified compliance where appropriate, and a framework that reflects the specific operating model of business aviation. 

EBAA will continue to engage with the Irish Presidency, EU institutions and Member States to ensure that business aviation’s role, challenges and contribution are properly understood. 

EBAA members can access the full policy brief on the Irish Presidency and the ETS review via the EBAA Extranet.

Engaging with the Presidency

On 18 May 2026, EBAA met with the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU and Council transport attachés. This provided an excellent opportunity for a constructive exchange of views, during which officials provided updates on critical policy files. The discussions covered a range of key initiatives impacting our sector, including the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD), the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) review, the European Commission’s upcoming Aviation Strategy, and airport slot allocation.