US politicians are calling for the country’s airlines to be protected from being charged for their carbon emissions by the European Union.
The leaders of the House of Representatives’ transport committee have written to US transport secretary Anthony Foxx asking him to ensure that US-based airlines are not charged for their emissions on flights to Europe.
The EU is planning to continue with a reduced emissions trading scheme (ETS) from next year, which would charge all carriers for their emissions over EU airspace.
This decision came despite an agreement reached by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in October to set up a global emissions trading scheme for aviation from 2020.
The letter from the House of Representatives’ transport committee claims that the EU is “in contravention” of the deal reached at the ICAO assembly in Montreal.
“We believe that the EU’s proposed amendment to the ETS violates the spirit and the letter of the ICAO agreement, as it would unilaterally be applied to portions of US flights to and from the EU,” said the congressmen in their letter to Foxx.
“If the European Parliament and Council adopt the proposed amendment despite your earnest negotiations, we urge you to exercise the authority granted to you by the ETS Prohibition Act to prohibit US civil aircraft operators from participating in the ETS.
“The ETS amendment currently being considered in the EU flouts the agreed upon framework developed by the ICAO. So despite claims that it wanted to address aviation emissions through international agreement at the ICAO, apparently the EU only wants to abide by the parts of the ICAO agreement it likes.”
US President Barack Obama signed the ETS Prohibition Act into law last year. The act makes it illegal for US airlines to comply with EU ETS.
EU ETS is already being applied to flights within the European Economic Area, which covers the 28 EU members plus Norway and Iceland.
The EU’s original plan, which was to charge airlines for their entire journeys to and from Europe, sparked fears of a trade war last year with major nations such as the US, China, Russia and India.
This plan could still be reinstated next year unless the European Parliament and Council approve the new amendment on ETS, which the EC wants to be approved by March 2014.
Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for climate action, said: “With this proposal, Europe is taking the responsibility to reduce emissions within its own airspace until the global measure begins.