ALLRAIL has joined more than 20 industry and civil society organisations in signing an open letter urging the European Commission to strengthen climate action in aviation by extending the scope of the EU’s carbon market to cover all departing flights.

Today, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) only applies to flights within Europe, leaving the majority of aviation emissions – especially long-haul routes – largely unregulated. This creates a significant gap in Europe’s climate policy, as aviation remains one of the fastest-growing sources of emissions.

The joint letter calls on the EU to address this imbalance by ensuring that all flights departing from Europe are subject to carbon pricing. Extending the EU ETS in this way would significantly increase the share of aviation emissions covered, strengthen the “polluter pays” principle, and generate additional revenues to support the decarbonisation of transport.

This comes at a crucial moment, as the European Commission prepares its 2026 review of aviation climate policy, including the effectiveness of the global offsetting scheme CORSIA. If that system is found insufficient, the EU has the opportunity – and responsibility – to act decisively.

By supporting this initiative, ALLRAIL reaffirms its commitment to fair and effective climate policies across all transport modes. A level playing field requires that aviation is subject to robust carbon pricing – just as rail already is – ensuring that sustainable mobility options can compete on equal terms.