Brussels, 20/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - A few days away from the climate conference in Bali, the Environment Council reached a unanimous political decision on 20 December in Brussels on the draft directive to include civil aviation in the Community green house gas emissions trading scheme 'ETS). Another success for the outgoing Portuguese presidency, which is delighted that member states listed to its call to translate the decisive role played by the EU at Bali into deeds.
Under the terms of the agreement , the ETS will apply to all flights from 2012 (member states did not keep the European Commission proposed 2011 as the date for intra-Community flights, as the initial period for extending the system to all flights a year later). The reference period for all quotas allocated each year to each operator will be the effective emissions level for 2004-06 (100% of these emissions). Out of this total quantity, 10% of quotas will be traded in 2012. This percentage could be revised as part of the ETS revision planned for 2013, a revision on which the European Commission proposal is expected on 23 January. Member states will cooperate to ensure operators respect obligations.
The special quotas reserve for newcomers and operators with rapid growth will be 3% of the total EU emissions ceiling. Operators that have had more than 18% growth a year can in 2015 request a special allocation for growth that exceeded 18% in the 2010-14 period.
Member states will be free to determine the use to which they put the revenue from the auction, but the text of the agreement stipulates that the revenue should be used to “tackle climate change” in the European Union and third countries, through, for example, contributions to the World Energy Efficiency Fund or the Global Environmental Fund which, under the Kyoto Protocol, is responsible for managing adaptation funds and which is already funding clean energy projects.
In line with the Chicago Convention, flights by members of third country royal households and government flights of these countries will not be part of the system. Also exempt will be: - flights to fulfil public service obligations in the outermost regions (for example, an internal flight in the Canary Islands or in Guadeloupe), and all other public service flights which do not exceed 30,000 seats per year and per route (for example, a flight between Sardinia and Italy); - commercial transport by operators carrying out fewer than 243 flights over three consecutive periods of four months. (A.N.)