EuropePolicy profile

European Union

Mandated

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Mandate register

Requirements, timelines & compliance

Each obligation is tied to its administering authority and primary published source.

Phasing inMulti-fuel

Member states must reach a 29% renewable share in transport energy by 2030, or a 14.5% greenhouse-gas intensity reduction.

2023
RED III enters into force (November 2023).
2025
Transposition deadline for transport targets (21 May 2025).
2026
Union Database reporting operational for all liquid and gaseous fuels.
2030
29% renewable transport share or 14.5% GHG-intensity cut; 5.5% advanced/RFNBO sub-target.

Choose either a 29% renewable energy share in transport or a 14.5% GHG-intensity reduction by 2030.
Combined sub-target of 5.5% for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin by 2030, of which at least 1% RFNBO.
Crop-based biofuels capped at the 2020 national share plus one percentage point, and no more than 7% of road and rail transport energy.
All fuel must meet RED III sustainability and GHG-saving criteria, verified through a recognised voluntary scheme.
Member states had to transpose the transport provisions into national law by 21 May 2025.

Administrator: European Commission plus each member state's national fuel authority
How compliance is shown: Fuel suppliers surrender proof of sustainability issued under a Commission-recognised certification scheme (ISCC EU, REDcert EU, 2BSvs, RSB EU RED) and report through the Union Database for Biofuels.
Penalty for shortfall: Set nationally: buy-out charges, fines or licence conditions imposed by each member state's implementing law.
Tradable unit: Proof of Sustainability (PoS) certificates; national tickets or quota units

Phasing inSAF

Union airports must supply aviation fuel containing at least 2% SAF, rising to 70% by 2050.

Fuel suppliers must ensure the minimum SAF share in aviation fuel supplied at each Union airport.
A synthetic-fuel (e-SAF) sub-quota applies from 2030 alongside the headline SAF share.
Aircraft operators must uplift at least 90% of their annual fuel requirement at each Union airport (anti-tankering rule).
Annual reporting of fuel uplifted and SAF supplied to the EU Aviation Safety Agency.

Administrator: European Union Aviation Safety Agency and national competent authorities
How compliance is shown: Annual reports from suppliers and operators, verified against sustainability certification; a Union SAF flexibility mechanism allows pooled supply across airports until 2034.
Penalty for shortfall: Administrative fines set by member states, calculated to exceed at least twice the price differential between conventional jet fuel and SAF for the shortfall.
Tradable unit: None — physical blend obligation

Phasing inMulti-fuel

Ships above 5,000 GT calling at EU ports must cut the GHG intensity of their energy use by 2% against a 2020 baseline.

GHG-intensity limit applies well-to-wake to 100% of energy used on intra-EU voyages and 50% on extra-EU voyages.
Containerships and passenger ships must use on-shore power at core TEN-T ports from 2030.
Compliance may be pooled between ships and banked or borrowed between years within limits.
Verified FuelEU report and compliance balance per ship, per year.

Administrator: European Commission, flag/port state authorities and accredited verifiers
How compliance is shown: Accredited verifier checks the ship's monitoring plan and annual energy report; the compliance balance is recorded in the FuelEU database and a FuelEU document of compliance is issued.
Penalty for shortfall: Remedial penalty proportional to the deficit (EUR 2,400 per tonne of VLSFO-equivalent energy), increased by 10% for repeat non-compliance; ships may be denied entry after two years of non-compliance.
Tradable unit: FuelEU compliance surplus / deficit balance