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Don’t charge us for emissions, says US Senate
Reuters reports that the Senate has passed a bill allowing U.S. airlines to avoid paying for carbon emissions on European flights, pushing the European Union to rethink applicability of emissions laws on foreign carriers.
The EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme was enacted in January, in theory, to combat global warming. Countries outside the EU like the U.S., Russia and China have balked against the fees, claiming they infringe on sovereignty.
"The Senate’s action today will help ensure that U.S. air carriers and passengers will not be paying down European debt through this illegal tax and can instead be investing in creating jobs and stimulating our own economy," Republican Senator John Thune said in a statement.
Although the Senate bill allows the U.S. transportation secretary to authorize U.S. airlines to stop complying with the EU law, the bill also includes new amendments that only allow non-compliance in the circumstance of agreeing to an international alternative or a U.S.-generated program addressing aviation emissions.
The current EU Emissions Trading Scheme allows European environmental rules to apply to the entire airborne emission path for aircraft flying to and from Europe. Charges apply for the entire flight even if sections of the flight are over international waters or non-EU airspace.
In February 23 countries signed "The Moscow Joint Declaration," which promised trade retaliation by airlines outside of the EU against European carriers in response to the emission charges in the Scheme.
Gretchen Kelly
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