Together for aviation recovery - Green Deal innovation in EU regions, cities and airports - 12WS21513

Aviation is at the crossroads of the EU's triple transition – green, digital and resilient recovery. Greener aviation should restore fundamental freedom of movement for citizens and goods in all EU regions. Aviation contributed 3.6% of all Greenhouse Gases emitted in the EU-28 and is the hardest sector to decarbonise. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the European Aviation ecosystem, which accounts for 10 million jobs and EUR 672 billion in the EU.

Research and innovation will be the cornerstone of greener aviation. Aligning EU, national, regional and local investments and facilities for research and innovation will be key to recovery and to responding to tough global competition. More and more regions are eager to invest in high-tech domains such as aeronautics, and more and more cities are considering sustainable urban air mobility in the near future.

The European Green Deal investments, the National Recovery and Resilience Plans and smart regional specialisation with EU regional funds are opportunities to push innovation in aviation, including at airports and their surrounding cities and regions. The first European Green Deal call for proposals for research and innovation is enabling new large projects at EU airports.

2022 has been proposed as the European Year of Aviation.