Our news
03-Feb-2012 The EC published the new list of aircraft operators included in the EU ETS
01-Feb-2012 Opening of the EUROCONTROL ETS Support Facility for Aircraft Operators
30-Jan-2012 Single EU Registry activated for aircraft operators
In The Press
14-Feb-2012 EU-ETS Could Cost Bizav Operators Dearly [AINonline]
04-Jan-2012 ETS Goes Live As Political Battles Gather Momentum [AINonline]
22-Dec-2011 Green Machines [Business Airport International]
21-Dec-2011 ECJ ruling in favour of EU's right to include non-EU airlines in its ETS unlikely to stem US political pressure [GreenAir Online]
19-Dec-2011 US demands data from European and US airlines as it fires off first retaliatory salvo in growing dispute with EU over ETS [GreenAir Online]
03-Nov-2011 States opposed to Europe's emissions trading scheme win ICAO Council backing but EU remains defiant [GreenAir Online]
Overview
The EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is a tool designed to monitor and limit emissions. It is a cap-and-trade system that allows participants to buy and sell rights to emit a fixed amount of emissions.
The EU's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol requires total emissions of greenhouse gases in the EU to decrease to 92% of their 1990 levels in the 2008-2012 period.
By 2020, the EU’s objective is to achieve at least a 20% cut in emissions from the 1990 level, and possibly up to a 30% cut if a global agreement is reached.
The EU ETS initially concerned big industrial emitters only. In November 2008, the directive 2008/101/EC including aviation in the EU ETS was passed by the European Parliament. Aviation ETS became the first ETS specifically designed for the aviation sector.
Airlines affected by Aviation ETS will either need to cut down their own emissions, trade emissions in the European market, or invest in emission reduction projects internationally, whichever approach is the most cost-efficient.
In 2009, airlines and aircraft operators included in the scheme had to prepare, submit and implement annual emissions and tonne-kilometer monitoring plans.
Since the start of the first monitoring period on 1 January 2010, aircraft operators must monitor their aircraft emissions according to their approved monitoring plans, the MRG and the national legislation of their Administering Member State.
The next deadline is March 2012 when annual emissions reports must be verified by an accredited verifier and submitted to the Competent Authority.
Airlines and aircraft operators are strongly advised to start the verification process as early as possible in 2012 in order to spread the verification work over the first quarter of 2012 and avoid pressure by conducting all of the verification work at the last minute.