Brussels, 29/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - During a trip to Montreal to meet members of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Monday 29 February, the European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc, affirmed that the EU would do everything it could to facilitate negotiations at the ICAO and the adoption of an ambitious emissions reduction agreement in the aviation sector.
The Commissioner welcomed the recommendations from the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) to limit CO2 emissions from aviation (see EUROPE 11486). In her speech, the Commissioner informed to the members of the organising committee of her wish to see ICAO members adopt an ambitious agreement during their general assembly next September, for reducing emissions, “and ensuring neutral carbon growth post-2020”.
In this connection, Commissioner Bulc explained that the Commission wholeheartedly supported the full ICAO provision for facilitating the adoption of the agreement and called on the organisation to work with her and her services to help countreis tackle this issue as effectively as possible.
The Commissioner expressed her wish to gradually get rid of fossil fuels from the aviation sector and also said that she was confident about developing hybrid technologies. She welcomed the initiatives taken by some airports to reorientate their consumption towards renewable energy.
Violeta Bulc provided a brief presentation of the aviation strategy adopted last December (see EUROPE 11448) and reiterated her determination to strengthen commercial ties between the EU and third countries by way of concluding global agreements. The Commissioner is particularly active in this domain and just two weeks ago was in Singapore to take part in the preparations for negotiations with countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (see EUROPE 11490).
On 1 March, Bulc will continue her stay in North America by meeting members of the White House and US Department of State. She will be discussing emissions reduction related challenges in the aviation domain, which has not totally been included in the COP21 agreement (see EUROPE 11453). She will also be looking at the Open Skies agreement between the Union and US signed in 2007. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)