EU calls one-year freeze on EU ETS for aviation after progress at ICAO

European Commission announced (12-Nov-2012) it will "stop the clock" on the implementation of the international aspects of its Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) for aviation by deferring the obligation to surrender emissions allowances from air traffic to and from the EU by one year. The EU would not require allowances to be surrendered in Apr-2013 for emissions from such flights during the whole of 2012. Monitoring and reporting obligations will also be deferred for such flights. The obligations relating to all operators' activities within the EU will remain intact and compliance with EU law will be enforced in this respect. The decision has been made based on the encouraging results of the ICAO Council meeting 09-Nov-2012 and the constructive engagement of international partners in relevant discussions. The EU stated it is convinced a global solution for addressing growing aviation emissions from international aviation is within reach at the upcoming ICAO Assembly in 2013. At the ICAO Council meeting it was decided that:

• A high-level policy group will be set up shortly;
• Options for a regulatory market based mechanism will have to be reduced from three to one;
• And there is an explicit reference to the global market based mechanism that the world now needs to agree on. [more - original PR]

European Commission: "The EU has always been very clear: nobody wants an international framework tackling CO2-emissions from aviation more than we do. Our EU legislation is not standing in the way of this. On the contrary, our regulatory scheme was adopted after having waited many years for ICAO to progress. Now it seems that because of some countries' dislike of our scheme many countries are prepared to move in ICAO, and even to move towards a Market Based Mechanism at global level.
In short, finally we have a chance to get an international regulation on emissions from aviation. This is a long sought for opportunity that we must use. This is progress! But actually to get there, a lot of tough negotiations lie ahead of us," Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action. Source: Company statement, 12-Nov-2012.