Following a robust and frank discussion on the inclusion of aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) yesterday (6 December 2007) in Brussels, the International Air Carrier Association (IACA) urges European Member States to correct the design of the scheme voted for by the European Parliament. In particular, the Association called for an open carbon trading system for aviation with the existing ETS market.

The panel discussion brought together senior executives from leisure airlines and members of the European Commission - Daniel Calleja (Director, Air Transport Directorate, DG Transport) and Niels Ladefoged, (Clean Air & Transport Unit, DG Environment) - and two members of the European Parliament - Georg Jarzembowski and Ulrich Stockmann.

While IACA continues to support the ETS in principle, IACA members reminded the Commission and the Parliament that the scheme needs to be properly designed and affordable. The discussion provided the opportunity for IACA members to outline the full impact of the scheme, as it is currently designed, on their businesses and to reinforce the message that the Parliament’s punitive design would damage the aviation sector beyond repair.

Speaking at the meeting, Sylviane Lust, Director General of IACA said: “The European Parliament should realise that their design of the ETS scheme for aviation, especially the closed trading system, is unsustainable”.

“We urge Member States to correct this punitive design and to carry out an impact study of an ETS scheme in their individual countries. It is only by assessing the consequences of an ETS that we can achieve a scheme that is workable and affordable.”

The session also discussed the European Parliament’s amendments to the Commission’s proposal on Airport Charges and the Single European Sky initiative.

Also during the AGM, Christoph Mueller, Aviation Director, Tui Travel Plc was elected as President of IACA and Onno Van Den Brink, President and CEO of Transavia.com was appointed as Vice-President.