Skip to content
Adopted text

Discharge 2022: Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking

TA-9-2024-0272 · P9_TA(2024)0272 · PE753.485

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull text
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament grants the Executive Director of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking discharge for the 2022 budget and approves the closure of the 2022 accounts. In its resolution, Parliament notes the Court of Auditors' finding that the 2022 accounts are fairly presented and the underlying transactions legal and regular. It welcomes the launch of the Clean Aviation programme, the first open call resulting in 19 grant agreements worth EUR 654 million, and the 20 projects steering aviation towards sustainability. It calls on the Joint Undertaking to close the gap between recognised cash and in-kind contributions by reporting members' legal commitments at year end. It agrees with the Court that reinforced monitoring actions must be tied to specific control actions and followed up by a pre-defined deadline. It calls for expanding and integrating climate-neutral aviation research value chains, including academia, research organisations, industry and SMEs.

Key points

  1. Parliament grants the Executive Director discharge for the implementation of the Joint Undertaking's 2022 budget and approves the closure of its 2022 accounts.
  2. The Court of Auditors found the 2022 annual accounts fairly presented and the underlying transactions legal and regular in all material respects.
  3. Parliament commends the launch of the Clean Aviation programme in 2022 and its role in developing technologies to reduce aircraft emissions and noise.
  4. The 2022 final available budget comprised commitment appropriations of EUR 411,2 million and payment appropriations of EUR 415,3 million.
  5. Parliament calls on the Joint Undertaking to address the gap between recognised cash and in-kind contributions by providing information on members' legal commitments at year end.
  6. For Horizon 2020, the Joint Undertaking had fully committed EUR 1 716 million of the maximum Union operational contribution, with around EUR 70,1 million (4,1 %) still to be paid.
  7. For Horizon Europe, the Commission made cash contributions of EUR 178 million and the Joint Undertaking almost fully used the operational contribution of EUR 176 million for pre-financing.
  8. Parliament welcomes the first open call for proposals, which resulted in 19 grant agreements totalling EUR 654 million across three core thrusts, with 244 participants from 24 countries.
  9. It welcomes the 20 projects steering aviation towards a sustainable future, supported by EUR 654 million in Union grant funding.
  10. Parliament agrees with the Court that all reinforced monitoring actions should be accompanied by specific control actions targeting identified risks and followed up at a pre-defined deadline.
  11. It stresses that the risk-based approach to grant management has become more important under Horizon Europe, where the beneficiary and project structure is changing significantly.
  12. Parliament calls to expand and foster integration of climate-neutral aviation research and innovation value chains, including academia, research organisations, industry and SMEs.

Who is affected

  • The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking and its Executive Director, who receives discharge and must report members' legal commitments at year end.
  • The Joint Undertaking's members, whose cash and in-kind contributions must be disclosed more transparently in the annual accounts.
  • Beneficiaries and projects under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, subject to ex-post audits and reinforced monitoring.
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises, newcomers and larger consortia participating under Horizon Europe.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 411,2 million in commitment appropriations for 2022, compared to EUR 182,6 million in 2021.
  • EUR 415,3 million in payment appropriations for 2022, compared to EUR 189,9 million in 2021.
  • EUR 1 716 million of the maximum Union operational contribution fully committed under Horizon 2020.
  • Around EUR 70,1 million (or 4,1 %) remains to be paid for Horizon 2020 projects yet to be completed.
  • Private members legally committed EUR 968,3 million in-kind to operational activities and EUR 1 223,1 million (101,6 % of the EUR 2 154,9 million minimum target) to additional activities.
  • Implementation rate for operational payment appropriations was 78 % (2021: 83 %).
  • Commission cash contributions of EUR 178 million and operational contribution of EUR 176 million used for pre-financing under Horizon Europe.
  • 19 grant agreements totalling EUR 654 million, with 244 participants across 24 countries.

Legal basis: Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.