KUALA LUMPUR – The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has joined IATA in condemning the decision by the European Parliament to include aviation in the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
Director general, Andrew Herdman said, “European legislators have again overreached their authority in seeking to impose this scheme on international airlines operating outside European airspace.
“At a time when world leaders are working towards a common understanding on climate change, this particular decision can only be described as an unhelpful provocation.
“More than 130 non-EU governments have already made their opposition abundantly clear at the ICAO Assembly in September 2007, when the EU proposals were firmly rejected as incompatible with the Chicago Convention governing international aviation.â€
“One of the most offensive aspects of the scheme is that Europe is, in effect, appointing itself as tax collector-in-chief for international aviation.
“Like a number of other purported green taxes and levies, there is absolutely no assurance that such funds will be directed towards meeting genuine environmental objectives,†Herdman added.
Aviation is more than willing to play its part in contributing to wider efforts to address climate change,†he said,
“We support emissions trading, but as far as international aviation is concerned, we need a consensus on a globally harmonised solution.â€
