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Press release
Environment Committee takes tough line on airline emissions
Environment - 27-05-2008 - 19:03
Committees
Committees
The EP Environment Committee voted on Tuesday to reintroduce most of the Parliament's first-reading amendments (previously rejected by the Council) to a proposal to include airline traffic in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Members argued that inclusion should begin as soon as 2011, that the share of emission permits to be auctioned should be increased and that that the ceiling on emissions should be lowered.
Whereas the Council sought to include aviation in the ETS as of 2012, Committee members voted for a single starting date for all flights within, leaving or landing in EU territory: 2011 (the Commission had proposed a one-year grace period for intercontinental flights).
Lower ceiling on emissions
MEPs also took a more ambitious approach vis-à-vis the cap on airline emissions. Whereas both the Council and the Commission sought to cap emissions at 2004-2006 levels, the Committee voted in favour of lowering the cap to 90% of 2004-2006 levels (a 10% reduction in emissions).
Further cuts would be introduced starting in 2013. Finally, the Committee decided that Member States should be explicitly allowed to "maintain or establish other complementary and parallel policies or measures that address the aviation sector’s total impacts on climate change".
Auction a larger share of emission permits
The Committee also challenged the Council's position on the auctioning of emission permits. Whereas Member States want only 10% of the carbon emissions allowances to be traded freely, the Committee says that a suitable starting figure would be 25%, with the rest being distributed free of charge. The Committee also agreed that, as of 2103, the percentage of traded allowances "shall be increased according to the maximum level of auctioning in other [ETS] sectors".
Exemptions for some
The Committee also endorsed exemptions from the proposal for:
- light airplanes with a take-off weight under 5.7 tonnes,
- flights for humanitarian purposes under a UN mandate,
- fire-fighting and other emergency flights, and
- police, customs and military flights.
Members disagreed with the Council view that flights carrying monarchy members, presidents and government ministers on official missions should be excluded from the ETS, on the grounds that they, too, should play their part in paying the cost of climate change.
Earmarking ETS revenue
The two institutions also disagree on the distribution of revenue from emissions allowances. The Council sees earmarking revenue for specific uses as an infringement of the subsidiarity principle, and instead seeks only to make recommendations. The Committee, by contrast, wants the funds channelled to, inter alia:
- research to improve efficiency in the aviation sector,
- climate-friendly transport, such as trains and buses, and
- assistance to developing countries, to help them adapt to climate change and reduce emissions
Rapporteur Peter Liese (EPP-ED, DE), said he hopes to reach an agreement on the text with the Council in the coming weeks.
The Liese report was adopted with 54 votes in favour, 4 against and one abstention. --
Procedure: co-decision -- Plenary vote: July.
26/05/2008
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
In the Chair : Miroslav OUZKÝ (EPP-ED, CZ)
In the Chair : Miroslav OUZKÝ (EPP-ED, CZ)
REF.: 20080526IPR29898