Strasbourg, 19/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - Although international disputes on the inclusion of aviation in the EU's emissions trading scheme (ETS) are less in the spotlight, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is still on the offensive and continues to ratchet up the pressure.
ICAO crucial. Tony Tyler, the CEO of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), considers that the European obligation on airlines having to pay for their carbon emissions since 1 January is counter-productive. He says that the regional approach is distorting market conditions and will not have a positive impact on the sustainability of measures globally coordinated by ICAO. He also says that the unilateral and extraterritorial approach is seen by non-European countries as an attack on their sovereignty, and he pointing out that the threat of a trade war is very real and calls upon the EU to avoid this because “no one wants a trade war”. He says that he is confident that if Europe fully participates in ICAO (which is attempting to find a solution with the international community, beyond the current plans), ICAO will successfully facilitate a sustainable solution for the environment.
Commission support too. This option is not opposed by the Commission, as explained by Henrik Hololei, Head of Cabinet for European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas. On 18 April in Porto during the European Regional Airlines (ERA) conference he stated: “This question [of ETS] must be tackled and settled at ICAO. Europe wants a multilateral solution. This is a challenge which the aviation community as a whole is having to confront and international cooperation is vital”. At this stage, however, nothing concrete has emerged from ICAO.
No threat from rail. Hololei also highlighted that the Commission's determination to “green” transport does not aim at replacing airlines with high-speed rail connections. The commissioner's right-hand man was keen to point out that they did not see rail as an “alternative” to replace aviation, but that it made good sense to develop optimum links between rail and airport infrastructure to ensure the smooth transportation of train to plane passengers. (MD/transl.fl)