At the initiative of Austria, France, Ireland and the Netherlands, the European transport ministers, meeting at the EU Council in Luxembourg on Thursday 1 June, discussed the environmental impact of private jet travel and the development of potential stricter regulatory measures (see EUROPE 13187/11).
“Our goal is climate neutrality by 2050. So we need to reduce greenhouse gases, and air traffic is the sector that represents the greatest challenge, with a huge growth rate”, stressed the Austrian Climate Protection Minister, Leonore Gewessler, during the public debate.
“I am convinced that we need not only to discuss, but above all to envisage Community rules to regulate and limit such travel and when we are talking about private jets”, she continued.
Her French counterpart, Clément Beaune, mentioned energy taxation on paraffin as a “lever for action”. “Adopting this text would send out a strong signal”, he commented.
“We hope that the Aviation Emissions Trading System will deliver significant environmental benefits, although in the interests of fairness and transparency it is essential that all aviation sectors contribute to efforts to reduce emissions”, said Ireland’s Jack Chambers.
The German, Belgian and Maltese ministers thanked their colleagues for raising this issue. “We need to come back to the question of private flights”, acknowledged the German Minister for Transport, Volker Wissing.
“Europe must propose common solutions to ensure that the measures are as effective as possible without distorting competition for airports”, stressed the Belgian minister, Georges Gilkinet. He said he was in favour of Mr Beaune’s proposal. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)