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F.A.Q. - UK ETS

1. Which flight routes will be included in the UK ETS reduced scopes or under “UK ETS Aviation Activity”?

Surrendering obligations under UK ETS will be applicable to the following routes:

> UK domestic flights
> Flights departing from the UK to aerodromes within EEA states.
> Flights between the UK and Gibraltar.
> Flights departing from Great Britain and arriving in Switzerland. (Note: Great Britain comprises England, Wales, and Scotland)
> Flight departing from the UK to territories of EEA member states, including Ceuta and Melilla (Spain), the Åland Islands (Finland), and Jan Mayen (Norway).
> Additionally, flights to offshore installations will be included in the UK ETS.
 
Note: Flights departing from the crown dependencies Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey are not included in the reportable scopes of UK ETS
 
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2. Which types of flights are excluded from the UK ETS reportable scope (UK ETS aviation activity)?
1)  Military flights
2)  Flights performed exclusively for the transport, on an official mission, of a reigning  Monarch and their immediate family, Heads of State, Heads of Government and Government Ministers, of a country other than the United Kingdom
3)  Customs and police flights performed by both civil registered and military aircraft
4)  Search and rescue flights
5)  Firefighting flights
6)  Humanitarian flights
7)  Emergency medical service flights
8)  Flights performed exclusively under the visual flight rules set out in Annex 2 to the Chicago Convention
9)  Flights terminating at the aerodrome from which the aircraft has taken off and during which no intermediate landing has been made
10) Training flights performed exclusively for the purpose of obtaining a license, or a rating in the case of cockpit flight crew, provided that the flights do not serve for the transport of passengers or cargo
11) Flights performed exclusively for the purpose of scientific research partially or totally performed in-flight
12) Flights performed exclusively for the purpose of checking, testing or certifying aircraft or equipment whether airborne or ground-based;
13) Flights performed by aircraft with a certified maximum take-off mass of less than 5,700 kilograms.
 
Note: Public Sector Obligation flights are not part of UK ETS aviation activity. 
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3. What is the duration for the implementation of the UK ETS?

Only Phase 1 of the UK ETS has been announced as of now and it is slated to run from 2021 to 2030, with two full system reviews. 
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4. Does UK ETS have a separate Registry account?
Yes, the UK ETS registry is used to record the below information under UK ETS only:

> Free allowance allocations
> Annual verified aviation emissions
> Allowance transfers
> Allowance surrenders

The registry administrator will open an Aircraft Operator Holding Account (AOHA) in the UK ETS registry after the UK ETS regulator has issued and confirmed the Emissions Monitoring Plan (EMP). The administrator will contact the aircraft operator accordingly. This is the aircraft operator’s responsibility to maintain the AOHA and nominate two authorized representatives for the AOHA.
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5. Would offsets be included in the UK ETS?
No, offsets are not to be included in the UK ETS. Currently, emissions are compensated using allowances that are eligible units that can traded through the UK ETS registry.

The use of Offsets for CORSIA emissions reported to the UK authority is still under consideration. 
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6. What is the UK ETS’s aviation cap on emissions?
The Authority have decided to reset the UK ETS cap for 2021-2030 to make the UK ETS consistent with UK’s trajectory towards Net Zero by 2050.

Starting in 2024, the regulatory body has made the decision to set a cap on aircraft operators' free allocation entitlement. The maximum entitlement will be restricted to 100% verified emissions. Any surplus-free allowances allocated to operators beyond this cap will be returned to the regulatory authority.
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7. Would the UK ETS be linked with the CH ETS?
Starting from January 1st, 2023, flights from Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland) to Switzerland will fall within the scope of the UK ETS. Conversely, flights from Switzerland to the UK (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and will be reported under CH ETS.
 
 
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8. Would ETSWAP be used for reporting as was the case under EU ETS?
ETSWAP has been used for the UK ETS from the beginning. However, starting from the 2023 reporting period, a new portal named "Manage your UK Emissions Trading Scheme Reporting Service (METS)" will be introduced for the UK ETS.
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9. What are the deadlines envisaged for compliance?

The UK ETS compliance deadlines would be aligned with EU ETS requirements.

For the table of all compliance deadlines, please click read more.
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10. What is the UK ETS’s position on the allocation of allowances?

As per the UK Government Legislation released on 17th December 2020, the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) will allocate a proportion of free allowances to qualifying aircraft operators based on their historical aviation activity. The distribution of free allocation will be in line with UK ETS aviation activity emissions, rather than full-scope flight emissions. The deadline for the UK ETS free allocation entitlement was 31st March 2021.
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11. What are the associated exemptions and thresholds under the UK ETS ?
Commercial and non-commercial aircraft operators would not be subject to any obligations if they meet some criteria. Click on read more for details. 
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12. Is an Improvement report mandatory?
Yes. If a verification body has issued a recommendation, non-compliance and/or non-conformity in their verification report, the aircraft operator must submit an improvement report by 30 June (n+1 year). 
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13. What is the procedure for claiming Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)/ biofuels under UK ETS?
If an aircraft operator aims to use sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) / biofuels in the near future, the operator must update their Emissions Monitoring Plan (EMP) to describe the procedures for implementing and monitoring SAF use.
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14. Frequently Asked Questions about EU ETS and Swiss ETS

Find below the link for the most frequently asked questions on the EU ETS and Swiss ETS.
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