EUROCONTROL and the European Commission have released a new version of an IT platform that tracks aviation’s non-CO₂ climate effects, such as contrails and nitrogen oxides, under the EU Emissions Trading System.
The platform, called the Non-CO₂ Aviation Effects Tracking System (NEATS), is designed to support monitoring, reporting and verification — a compliance process often shortened to MRV — for airlines and regulators, the Commission informed on Thursday.
EUROCONTROL said the third version of NEATS includes all functions needed to complete the MRV process inside one system, allowing aircraft operators, accredited verifiers and authorities to carry out the workflow from start to finish.
The update also adds tools to feed data into annual reports on non-CO₂ aviation effects and can automatically fill gaps in missing or incomplete flight information by drawing on additional data sources, including EUROCONTROL’s Environment Management Information Service.
Users can also choose what they are required to report by selecting the applicable MRV scope and calculation method in line with an approved monitoring plan.
EU ETS coverage and next steps
NEATS currently covers flights within the European Economic Area and is due to expand to all EU-related flights from 2027, Kurt Vandenberghe, Director General of the European Commission’s DG Climate Action, said.
The system was developed under a cooperation agreement between EUROCONTROL and the European Commission’s DG Climate Action, with airlines and aircraft and engine manufacturers among the stakeholders involved.
