Brussels, 07/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission was due to brief ministers, at the request of the German delegation, on the state of play on application of the emissions trading scheme to aviation as an “Other business” item at the Transport Council on Thursday 6 October. In the event, Germany did not speak after Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas delivered his speech. The reason behind the German call was the uproar created among non-EU states by the EU decision to include aviation in the emissions trading scheme from January 2012 (see EUROPE 10468). The commissioner suggested, according to sources, that it was high time that a balance was found, that, at this point, he did not know where he stood, and that a dispute settlement procedure under the terms of the Chicago Convention had to be avoided at all costs. Five countries responded to what Kallas said. Of these, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands expressed concern at the international situation. Only the UK delegation stated clearly that it did not support the amendments to the directive with regard to aviation. A similar debate is scheduled for the Environment Council on Monday 10 October (see EUROPE 10468). (MD/transl.rt)