Access to information on CORSIA under the Aarhus Convention

25.10.2017

Question for written answer P-006633-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Seb Dance (S&D) , Miriam Dalli (S&D) , Jytte Guteland (S&D) , Julie Girling (ECR) , Bas Eickhout (Verts/ALE)

Parties to the Aarhus Convention, including the EU, have committed to upholding access to information and public participation in environmental decision making. The offsetting scheme for international aviation (CORSIA) agreed in 2016 has important consequences for environmental policy in Europe, but its impact remains unclear owing to a lack of transparency that contradicts Article 4(2) of the EU Aarhus Regulation and Article 12(2) of the EU Access to Documents Regulation.

Later in 2017, ICAO Parties are expected to agree on ‘draft CORSIA SARPs and guidance’, which will outline the environmental rules that will govern CORSIA. According to the Commission’s Impact Assessment accompanying the proposal to continue current limitations of scope for international flights under the EU ETS, Europe will need to transpose CORSIA rules into European legislation, which will have implications for the EU ETS. The Impact Assessment further states that implementation of CORSIA could undermine EU 2030 climate targets.

Will the Commission publicly release the draft SARP within a month of its agreement in ICAO, to allow the EU to make an informed decision about its future climate obligations?

If not, how does the Commission intend to fulfil its Aarhus obligations regarding transparency and public participation?