ERA (European Regions Airline Association) and IACA (International Air Carrier Association) consistently called for the suspension of the entire EU ETS scheme until ICAO has been able to find an international solution and therefore support the concept of a moratorium. But by implementing a two tier scheme where intra EU operators are still obliged to fully implement the law, the European Commission will continue to impose cost and complexity on intra-EU operations with little or no overall environment benefit.
Giving the international community breathing space to tackle a global problem is a sensible step forward. Continuing to load cost and complexity on intra-EU operations only is not a fair solution for Europe.
Commenting on the European Commission’s announcement Mike Ambrose, Director General ERA, and Sylviane Lust, Director General IACA said:
“Since the beginning of the legislative procedure that led to the adoption of the EU ETS, ERA and IACA have been supportive of the EU ETS scheme providing it applied to all airlines. By introducing a two tier system the Commission has created a compromise that unfairly penalizes many European carriers operating intra-EU flights and their passengers. ERA and IACA call on the EU Member States and the Parliament to extend the moratorium to all flights.”
