EU finance ministers seem likely to approve a fuel tax which could add up to 10 to the price of an air ticket.
The ministers were due to meet on February 17 to consider the move which is strongly opposed by European airlines. It is not known if a decision will be made at this meeting or at a later meeting in April.
Mr Laszlo Kovacs, the EC taxation and customs commissioner, said he felt there was strong or even unanimous support for the measure “because the kerosene tax is not to collect new revenues for the member states but to fund development aid, which is an aim which cannot be challenged.”
However EU law requires all 25 member countries to back the issue and there have been reports that Ireland may not support it.
Jacques Barrot, the EC transport commissioner, has also been reported as “not convinced” about such a tax.
The idea of a fuel tax as a means of raising revenue to help developing countries was raised at a meeting of the British, German, French and Italian finance ministers at a G7 finance in London.
The proposed tax is said to be 300 per tonne of fuel which could add between 5 to 10 to a ticket.
The move has brought an angry reaction from the Association of European Airlines which represents the continent's leading carriers.
Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, its secretary general, said it supported humanitarian aid but asked “Why pick on airlines?”
He added: “Our industry is in the midst of a fundamental crisis. Our members are laying off staff and trimming their product to be able to offer the sort of low cost, low fare product the customers want, only to be once again confronted with a measure designed to increase our costs. We keep telling national governments in Europe that the airline sector is not an endless source of taxable revenue”.