US DOT Secretary slams EU (Airline Carbon Tax)

[Sleeping Cobra1]

The European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) tax was widely condemned during the FAA’s Aviation Forecast Conference in Washington in March, with the US Department of Transportation chief labeling it as bad law.

The approach to ETS implementation “was totally wrong,” US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in his opening remarks at the conference.

“The law is bad, and it doesn’t help our relationships with the EU. What I say is, sit at a table, talk to one another, reach a compromise,” LaHood said.

Admitting he was "very revved up" by the issue, LaHood said he would be working closely with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to address it this year. “This is a very, very bad law that they have passed … to impose this kind of tax on airlines is wrong,” he said. “There are some things that we can do … some enforcement measures.”

LaHood’s condemnation was endorsed by many at the conference, including keynote speaker IATA DG Tony Tyler, and panel speakers FedEx president and CEO Dave Bronczek and Airlines for America’s (A4A) chief economist John Heimlich.

Tyler said Europe’s go-it-alone approach on the controversial airline carbon tax was driving discord where there needed to be harmony.


More: http://atwonline.com/eco-aviation/ar...ms-eu-ets-0312

[Sleeping Cobra1]

Delta Air Lines, one of the nation's largest air carrier, has added a $3 surcharge on flights in and out of Europe in a move that seems intended to offset the cost of a new European emissions plan.

Starting this year, the Europe will impose taxes on airlines that exceed strict emission limits when flying in and out of European countries. A trade group for the nation's airlines estimates that the emission plan will cost U.S. airlines more than $3 billion through 2020

More: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan...dds-3-fee-0104