Simon McNamara, director general of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), says: “By agreeing to this compromise, rather than suspending the entire scheme, Europe is penalising and damaging European operators flying intra-European flights. The scheme’s coverage is also reduced to only around 20 per cent of EU aviation emissions which destroys any environmental credibility. ERA’s members will be hit hard by what is an extremely disappointing ruling.”
Boet Kreiken, president ERA, adds: “ERA’s position has always has been that the entire scheme should have been put on hold for all flights pending a satisfactory agreement at ICAO level on a genuinely global scheme. We continue to support the objectives of addressing aviation’s impact on the environment and the role ICAO should play, but implementing a purely intra-European ETS until at least 2016 is not good news.
“This decision will mean that Europe’s citizens taking intra-European flights will have to pay more for their flights. The bottom line of Europe’s airlines will also be hit resulting in less money available to invest in environmentally efficient aircraft and procedures. The end result will damage the very environment and citizens that it is supposed to protect.
“This decision illustrates clearly that Europe does not yet have a true aviation policy. ERA is looking forward to working to develop with the European Commission and other stakeholders an integrated vision for aviation that is coherent, consistent and fair to Europe.”
For more infomation please see our website www.eraa.org or contact:
Celia Mather
Manager Corporate Communications
European Regions Airline Association Limited
Email: celia.mather@eraa.org
Tel: +44 (0) 1276 485582
Mobile: +44 (0) 7713 984792