Support for the review by the Commission concerning the implementation of ICAO’s CORSIA, and for Commission reports on certain types of flights, social impacts, and air connectivity of islands, remote territories and Iceland

Provide for support for the revision of the ETS Directive for aviaiton This call for tender requests analytical services for the review by the Commission concerning implementation by third countries of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) measure ‘Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation’ (CORSIA), as required by Article 28b (2) of Directive 2003/87/EC (hereinafter, "the Directive"), and including Article 25a(7) and Article 30(8). It also requests analysis on environmental and climate impacts, and ways to reduce those, of short-haul flights, private- and business jet flights, as defined in Article 30(8)(a) and (b) of the Directive, and as required in Article 30(8). It also requests analysis of the social impacts of this Directive and connectivity, as required by Article 30(8)(c) and (d), the latter should also take into account Iceland.

All sectors of the economy, including international aviation, need to contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so that we can comply with our commitment to the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement. CO2 emissions from aviation have been included in the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) since 2012. Since then, the scope of the EU ETS has been restricted to intra-European flights to facilitate progress at ICAO.

With the revision of the EU ETS for aviation, co-legislators have tasked the Commission to report on the environmental integrity of CORSIA by 1 July 2026. The report will be accompanied by a legislative proposal, where appropriate, to amend the ETS in a way that is consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goal, the Union’s economy-wide greenhouse gas emission reduction commitment for 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest, and with the aim of preserving the environmental integrity and effectiveness of the Union’s climate action. One part of this tender focuses on the analysis to support the report on environmental integrity of CORSIA, which co-legislators have tasked the Commission to provide by 1 July 2026.

The successful candidate will provide analytical support for this assessment, notably an overview of implementation by third countries of CORSIA, as well how this affects general ambition in relation to targets under the Paris Agreement. The other part of this tender concerns analysis for certain flights. For intra-European flights between 2024-26, the European institutions have strengthened the ETS aviation rules to ensure that aviation contributes to the more ambitious target of achieving net emission reductions of at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

The amendment of the Directive includes specific elements for the Commission to evaluate as part of its Carbon Market Report in 2026. While the Commission will carry out the evaluation independently, analysis is needed on impacts of short-haul, business- and private jet flights, as well social impacts of this Directive and air connectivity. On connectivity, the analysis should also include Iceland.