Brussels, 22/09/2010 (Agence Europe) -Commissioner Johannes Hahn (regional policy) stated on Tuesday 21 September that the EU would strenuously defend its position on the application of the Community system for the trading of greenhouse gas emissions quotas (ETS) at the forthcoming assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). “We cannot allow European legislation to be undermined by our partners”; all flights into and out of the EU will be covered by the system from 1 January 2012, said Hahn, answering a parliamentary question from the EPP, S&D, ALDE and ECR groups. “We want a common framework to support the market measures” aiming to reduce the emissions from aviation, Hahn insisted. Certain third states, in particular the United States, “are calling for a bilateral agreement, in other words mutual recognition of the climate change measures”, which “goes against the implementation measures” of European legislation, he stressed. He added: “the EU can and must stick to its guns during the negotiations” at the assembly of ICAO (28.09-8.10), which will discuss the question. According to members of the European Parliament, the same states stress that in order for the assembly to adopt a resolution providing for countries wishing to do so to take part in a quota trading system which applies to the aviation operators of other contracting states, they should be able to do so only on the basis of mutual agreement. “Mutual agreement means doing nothing to fight civil aviation emissions”, Hahn stressed, adding that the EU was “inclined to exclude [from the system] certain third-country flights, if these countries have set in place a similar framework to cut their civil aviation emissions”. Additionally, the global aeronautical sector (IATA for air carriers, ACI for airports, CANSO for the providers of aviation services and ICCAIA for the aeronautical industry), brought together in the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), intends at the same time to seek support for its own ambitious target: a gradual reduction of up to 50% of emissions by 2050 compared to their 2005 levels (EUROPE 10008). The gains may be made by a combination of the measures in mind (technological innovation and modernisation of air traffic management and the phasing-in of new-generation biofuels). According to François Gayet, the Secretary General of ASD and president of ICCAIA, the introduction of these biofuels could reduce the sector's carbon footprint by 80%. If the safety certification process is completed, as planned, in 2011, the first flights fuelled by biofuel mixes could take place from 2012 (with profitability assured from 2015). A conference on the future of the European aeronautical sector is scheduled to take place at the European Parliament from 30 November to 3 December. (A.By./transl.fl)