Coalition Fights for Overturn of EU ETS Policy

captiolA coalition of major travel industry groups - including ASTA and Airlines 4 America - sent a letter to the Secretaries of State and Transportation, urging the Administration to take action under Article 84 of the Chicago Convention.

The move would block the unilateral imposition of the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to international aviation. The Chicago Convention regulates international aviation.

"We ask that the U.S. government strongly restate opposition to – and continuing plans for overturning – the application of the EU ETS to international aviation. It has been seven months since U.S. airlines and aircraft operators became subject to the scheme’s emissions allowances purchase, trading and surrender obligations."

"It has been eight months since you sent a firm letter to EU officials urging them to halt or suspend application of the ETS. As each day goes by without an EU act to halt or suspend the ETS, the harm to U.S. airlines and aircraft operators and the threat to U.S. sovereignty grows while the U.S. government’s credibility is weakened," the coalition said to the two Secretaries.

The coalition said it was hopeful that a planned July 31-Aug. 1 meeting will encourage withdrawal of the unlawful EU scheme and for going forward with the global framework for aviation and climate change provisionally agreed at the 2010 Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
 
"We urge the Administration to file an action under Article 84 of the Chicago Convention and to take all other action necessary to overturn this wrongful scheme. There is strong, bipartisan support for ensuring that U.S. passengers, airlines and aircraft operators are not subject to this unlawful scheme. "

The coalition cited the passage of H.R. 2594 in the House of Representatives and the mark up of S. 1956, the “European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act,” scheduled for July 31 in the Senate. 

Among the coalition members are: Airlines for America, American Society of Travel Agents, Consumer Travel Alliance, Interactive Travel Services Association, Global Business Travel Association, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters – Airline Division, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the  U.S. Travel Association.

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