Liese secures Parliament mandate to back EU ETS airspace proposal and sets sights on revenue earmarking

The Environment Committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament today voted 49-6 in favour of supporting the European Commission’s EU ETS airspace proposal that aims to include emissions within EU/EEA airspace from all flights to, from and within Europe. The committee also passed amendments to the proposal that seek to restrict the airspace scope until 2016 rather than until 2020, as suggested by the Commission, plus the introduction into the directive of a legally binding commitment by EU member states to earmark EU ETS auction revenues for climate-related funding. The vote provides a mandate for the EU ETS directive’s rapporteur, Peter Liese, to negotiate with the Commission and member states, through the European Council, on the legislation. Member states are largely against the proposal and favour a continuation of the ‘Stop the Clock’ (STC) approach that restricted emissions coverage to intra-EU/EEA flights only during 2012, as do MEPs on the industry and transport committees (ITRE and TRAN), and tough trilogue discussions are expected during February and March to seek an agreement.

GreenAir Online

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