June 24 (Reuters) – The manufacture of private jets cannot be excluded from a list of activities deemed to be environmentally sustainable, the European Union’s second-highest court said on Wednesday, annulling a decision by the European Commission.
-
The contested list, the sustainable finance taxonomy, is intended to provide investors with an overview of green investments.
-
The Commission in 2023 excluded aircraft for private or commercial business aviation from the list, based on CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre compared with other modes of transport.
-
That decision was contested by French planemaker Dassault Aviation, which called it unlawful.
-
The EU’s General Court said that other modes of transport could not necessarily be seen as low-carbon alternatives because private jets have specific characteristics in terms of flexibility, speed and connectivity.
-
It also said that the CO2 footprint related to the operation of aircraft, not the manufacturing of them.
-
The court noted that the Commission had failed to take into account that private jets could be flown on sustainable fuel.
-
The Commission can appeal the ruling within two months.
Reporting by Bart Meijer Editing by David Goodman.
