The European Union faces tough, international opposition for its costly Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), including Airlines for America (A4A), the industry group representing major U.S. airlines.
A4A commended Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) for co-sponsoring a bill that would prohibit U.S. aircraft operators from participating in the EU ETS.
A4A charges that the EU scheme violates U.S. sovereignty and international law. It also imposes an unfair and burdensome tax on U.S. airlines and consumers, A4A says.
The legislation seeks to hold airlines harmless from not participating in the scheme.
Senator McCaskill is the first Democrat to co-sponsor the legislation, which was introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). The Senate bill is similar to the bipartisan legislation passed by the full House of Representatives last fall, A4A says.
“Senator McCaskill’s leadership in working across the aisle and co-sponsoring this important legislation sends a strong message that Congress objects to unilateral EU taxation scheme, and A4A and its members urge the administration to take similar measures,” said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio.
“Subjecting airlines to the EU ETS will be counterproductive to helping the environment, result in the loss of U.S. jobs, and hamper the airlines’ ability to invest in new aircraft and continue their extensive efforts to build on their strong environmental record,” Calio said.
Bipartisan support of the Senate bill follows a recent Moscow meeting of governments, where the United States and many governments opposed the unilateral EU tax and spelled out the concrete steps they can take to overturn this scheme, A4A said.
The Moscow Declaration also reinforced the countries’ commitment to reach a global sectoral approach at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations body charged with setting standards for international aviation, A4A says.
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