European Court rules ALL airlines to pay dirty tax
All airlines flying to and from Europe will have to pay a dirty tax from January 1, the European Court of Justice ruled today.
It upheld a decision by the European Union to include all international airlines in its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which will force carriers to pay for any carbon dioxide emissions above an agreed limit.
The decision is highly controversial as including non-EU airlines in the ETS has been strongly opposed by economic powers worldwide, who say it flies in the face of their sovereignty and that control of airlines' CO2 emissions should be left to the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Under ETS, airlines will be given credits to cover the majority of their emissions, but they will have to buy credits to cover the remainder of their CO2 output.
Other industries are already involved in the ETS, which is the EU's attempt to combat climate change, and all airlines operating within the 27 member states will be included for the first time on January 1.
European airlines fear the decision could lead to other countries imposing taxes and further restrictions on their operations overseas in retaliation for the tax. The US said it goes against the EU-US open-skies agreement and on Friday, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said America would respond with "appropriate action" if the scheme went ahead.
However, Europe's highest court has refused to bow to pressure from the US, insisting that the ETS did not infringe on the sovereignty of other nations as it only applied to carriers when they were operating within the EU.
The court issued a statement saying: "Application of the emissions trading scheme to aviation infringes neither the principles of customary international law at issue nor the Open Skies Agreement."
With permission from Travelmole
quite right.
no different to EU imposing safety regulations on outsider airlines that want to fly here, which has been happening for years.
no different to EU imposing safety regulations on outsider airlines that want to fly here, which has been happening for years.
TUI fears retaliation following court ruling
TUI Travel says it is concerned that it will become the victim of retaliatory action by countries whose airlines are forced to join the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme next month.
Following a European Court of Justice ruling that the trading scheme will apply to all airlines from January 1, TUI issued a statement urging member states to ensure EU carriers, including its wholly-owned Thomson Airways, are not discriminated against.
The European court ruled that all international airlines must pay for any carbon dioxide emissions on flights that take off or land in any EU country from January 1. Several countries including the US, China and Russia had opposed the step and threatened action against the EU if it went ahead with the proposal.
TUI head of regulatory affairs Eddie Redfern said the operator supports aviation's inclusion in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), but he added: "We are concerned by the number of countries that are opposed to the scheme and we are also concerned there may be retaliatory action by those opposed to the EU ETS.
"We therefore call upon Member States to ensure that EU airlines are not discriminated against by the creation of an un-level playing field."
With permission from Travelmole
TUI Travel says it is concerned that it will become the victim of retaliatory action by countries whose airlines are forced to join the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme next month.
Following a European Court of Justice ruling that the trading scheme will apply to all airlines from January 1, TUI issued a statement urging member states to ensure EU carriers, including its wholly-owned Thomson Airways, are not discriminated against.
The European court ruled that all international airlines must pay for any carbon dioxide emissions on flights that take off or land in any EU country from January 1. Several countries including the US, China and Russia had opposed the step and threatened action against the EU if it went ahead with the proposal.
TUI head of regulatory affairs Eddie Redfern said the operator supports aviation's inclusion in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), but he added: "We are concerned by the number of countries that are opposed to the scheme and we are also concerned there may be retaliatory action by those opposed to the EU ETS.
"We therefore call upon Member States to ensure that EU airlines are not discriminated against by the creation of an un-level playing field."
With permission from Travelmole
China's airlines refuse to pay EU tax
China's biggest airlines are heading for a showdown with the EU after declaring that they will not pay the new emissions tax, introduced on January 1.
The China Air Transport Association (CATA) said its members would not cooperate with the Emissions Trading Scheme which charges airlines for their carbon emissions beyond a certain limit.
Airlines that don't comply could be fined or banned from flying to EU countries, including the UK. CATA, which represents airlines including air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern and Hainan Airlines, told the BBC its members would not pay the tax.
China is also considering retaliatory measures against EU airlines if its members of forced to pay for their carbon emissions for flights to and from Europe. Other countries outside the EU, including the United States and Russia, are also strongly opposed to the tax.
With permission from Travelmole
China's biggest airlines are heading for a showdown with the EU after declaring that they will not pay the new emissions tax, introduced on January 1.
The China Air Transport Association (CATA) said its members would not cooperate with the Emissions Trading Scheme which charges airlines for their carbon emissions beyond a certain limit.
Airlines that don't comply could be fined or banned from flying to EU countries, including the UK. CATA, which represents airlines including air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern and Hainan Airlines, told the BBC its members would not pay the tax.
China is also considering retaliatory measures against EU airlines if its members of forced to pay for their carbon emissions for flights to and from Europe. Other countries outside the EU, including the United States and Russia, are also strongly opposed to the tax.
With permission from Travelmole
Ryanair adds new fee to cover cost of Emissions Trading Scheme
Ryanair is introducing a 25 pence levy per passenger for bookings made from next Tuesday (January 17) to cover the costs of the EU's new Emissions Trading Scheme.
Calling it the EU's "eco-looney ETS tax", Ryanair said the tax will cost Ryanair passengers €15 million to €20 million during 2012.
Ryanair communications chief Stephen McNamara said: "Ryanair does not believe that European aviation should be included in the ETS scheme since it accounts for less than 2% of the EU's CO2 emissions.
"This latest EU stealth tax will damage traffic, tourism, European competiveness and jobs at a time when no other economic block is including aviation in their ETS schemes."
With permission from Travelmole
Ryanair is introducing a 25 pence levy per passenger for bookings made from next Tuesday (January 17) to cover the costs of the EU's new Emissions Trading Scheme.
Calling it the EU's "eco-looney ETS tax", Ryanair said the tax will cost Ryanair passengers €15 million to €20 million during 2012.
Ryanair communications chief Stephen McNamara said: "Ryanair does not believe that European aviation should be included in the ETS scheme since it accounts for less than 2% of the EU's CO2 emissions.
"This latest EU stealth tax will damage traffic, tourism, European competiveness and jobs at a time when no other economic block is including aviation in their ETS schemes."
With permission from Travelmole
If 50p return will do all that damage imagine what Ryanair's rip off hidden charges are doing.
David HT Mod wrote:Ryanair adds new fee to cover cost of Emissions Trading Scheme
Ryanair communications chief Stephen McNamara said: "Ryanair does not believe that European aviation should be included in the ETS scheme since it accounts for less than 2% of the EU's CO2 emissions.
i would think that most of that 2% would be the hot air spouted in their statements , or perhaps this will be something else to blame for their decreasing load factors.
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