Brussels, 14/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 11 September, the European Parliament transport committee adopted the report by Georg Jarzembowski (EPP-ED, Germany) on the draft directive on bringing aviation into the European Emissions Transfer Scheme (ETS) with effect from 1 January 2012, and called for the inclusion of both Community and international aviation in the scheme. The total quotas allocated to air operators should come to 110% of the emissions produced during the period 2007-2009. 20% of this amount should be up for auction. The report will be put to the vote in the October plenary session.
The report, approved by all the EPP-ED MEPs on the committee and some of the Socialists (25 votes for, 5 against and 11 abstentions) said that from 1 January 2012 to 31 December of the same year, the total quotas allocated to air operators, international and Community, should be the equivalent of 110% of the “historic emissions” produced by aviation between 2007 and 2009. With effect from 1 January 2013 and for each succeeding period of volume calculation, the total quotas allocated to air operators should be 110% of historic emissions, multiplied by the number of years in the period. 20% of the total quotas allocated should be put up for auction, and the remaining 90% distributed free to operators. The income generated by the auction of quotas should, MEPs say, be used to fund research and development on greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on climate change. Solutions should be implemented in the regions most affected, particularly in Africa and developing countries, the report says.
As adopted, the report amends quite substantially the draft directive brought forward by the European Commission. This directive, presented in December 2006 (see EUROPE 9332), provides for the inclusion of all internal and international flights between EU airports in the ETS from 2011. With effect from 2012, the system would then be extended to all international flights from or to EU airports. Another difference is that the period for calculating the quotas allocated to air operators should be 2004-2006 (see EUROPE 9489). The EU will present its vision on how to combat climate change, including bringing aviation into the ETS, at the next meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal from 18-28 September. (EUROPE will report on this issue.) (aby)