On 5 November 2025, the European Commission adopted the communication launching the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP), a strategic roadmap designed to accelerate the energy transition of the aviation and waterborne transport sectors. The Plan is a key pillar of the EU’s broader competitiveness and clean-industry agenda (notably the EU Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal) and aims to deliver a common investment framework for renewable and low-carbon fuels in the transport sector.

Transport sectors such as aviation and shipping face substantial decarbonisation challenges, as they are harder to electrify, rely on long-distance, high-energy fuels, and present significant capital investment and market risk. The STIP signals Europe’s intention to mobilise investments and remove key barriers, enabling the transition to take place at scale and within the necessary timeframe.

• The Plan estimates that by 2035 some 20 million tonnes of sustainable alternative fuels (around 13.2 Mt biofuels + 6.8 Mt e-fuels) will be needed in the aviation and waterborne sectors to meet existing regulation targets (ReFuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime respectively).
• Meeting that scale will require an investment of €100 billion (by 2035).
• In the near-term, the Plan anticipates mobilisation of at least €2.9 billion by end-2027.

The Sustainable Transport Investment Plan marks a significant step by the European Commission to mobilise and channel investment towards the decarbonisation of aviation and maritime transport, through renewable and low-carbon fuels. For the TRIMIS research and innovation community, it opens a new horizon of opportunity: from novel fuel technologies to business models, infrastructure deployment, and regional innovation ecosystems.

Source: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/commission-unveils-sustainable-transport-investment-plan-strategic-approach-boost-renewable-and-low-2025-11-05_en