12/12/2017 (Agence Europe) – The European Parliament, following the line charted by its rapporteur, Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden), gave its approval in Strasbourg on Tuesday 12 December to the conclusion on behalf of the EU of the provisional agreement that will link the EU’s emissions trading scheme (ETS) and its Swiss equivalent (see EUROPE 11902). MEPs voted by a very wide majority (547 to 50, with 56 abstentions) to give the go-ahead to the agreement. The main difference between the two is that this Swiss scheme, unlike the European ETS, does not yet include emissions from the aviation sector. Switzerland is, however, working on measures to extend its ETS to this sector. It is only once this condition is met that the agreement can formally come into force, on 1 January 2018. (AN)