EU stands firm over inclusion of aviation in EU ETS

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso stated that the inclusion of aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme is now European law and the commission is not considering altering the legislation (Reuters, 08-Jun-2011). Authorities, airline associations and individual carriers from China, Russia and the US are planning or have threatened legal action to block the EU from including them in the scheme. European airlines and Airbus wrote to the commission, concerned that the dispute could lead to retaliatory measures and a trade war. EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard stated that the inclusion of the aviation sector in the EU ETS is a "practical example" of steps that need to be made to fight global warming (Bloomberg, 08-Jun-2011).