Groups Representing Pilots, Owners, Manufacturers, Airlines
Coordinate Efforts To Oppose European Tax
Members of a coalition including nearly all segments of aviation
are calling on U.S. senators to back legislation introduced
Wednesday by Senator John Thune (R-SD), which would prohibit
operators of all U.S. aircraft from participating in the European
Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS).
A letter supporting the bill, S.1956, was sent by a coalition of
15 organizations representing aircraft owners, operators,
manufacturers and others. The EU-ETS, which would impose a new tax
on carbon emissions from aircraft, is scheduled for implementation
on January 1, 2012.
In its letter, the coalition predicts that the program will cost
U.S. operators billions of dollars in money that will likely
subsidize European governments. The group goes on to point out that
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted its
own plan to address aircraft carbon emissions in September. By
doing so, ICAO recognized that unilateral emissions trading
programs such as EU-ETS undermine efforts to develop a global
approach for emissions from aviation, a global industry.
The letter also notes that the aviation industry itself has set
well-defined goals for increasing fuel efficiency and reducing
emissions that will produce a 1.5 percent increase in fuel
efficiency by 2020 as well as a 50-percent reduction in emissions
by 2050.
The EU-ETS taxes aircraft emissions from operations to and
within Europe based on the distance flown over a flight's entire
route, no matter its origin. For instance, a flight from the U.S.
to London would be taxed for all portions of the mission, not just
the portion in EU airspace. "In reality, the EU-ETS will increase
costs in the industry significantly, which will reduce consumer
demand, and will hamper airlines' and other operators' ability to
invest in research and development and in new aircraft and
equipment," the coalition's letter says.
The senate proposal follows passage of the "European Union
Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011," passed
overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives in October. Like the
senate measure, the one passed by the House prohibits all U.S.
airlines and general aviation flight operators from participating
in the EU-ETS if it is unilaterally imposed on them. It also orders
the Federal Aviation Administration to do everything possible to
ensure flight operators are not penalized by the program.
"This scheme violates U.S. sovereignty, international law and
the Chicago Convention," the coalition's letter states. "We urge
you to support this important legislation to protect American jobs
and to send the message to the EU that the U.S. government will not
tolerate violations of its sovereignty and will ensure the EU-ETS
does not apply to US aviation."
The coalition that authored the letter is comprised of the
Aerospace Industries Association, the Air Line Pilots Association,
the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Airlines for America,
the American Society of Travel Agents, the Cargo Airline
Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the
Global Business Travel Association, the International Air Transport
Association, the Interactive Travel Services Association, the
National Air Carrier Association, the National Air Transportation
Association, the National Business Aviation Association, the
Regional Airline Association and the U.S. Travel Association.