The European airport industry yesterday welcomed the important decision by the European Commission to include aviation in the existing EU CO2 Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

ACI Europe is a longstanding advocate of emission?s trading for aviation, as a responsible, pragmatic and swift course of action to control the increase in aviation emissions and halt its growing contribution to climate change.
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe said: ‘Today?s decision is the right approach to face up to aviation?s contribution to climate change.
However, we will now need to review the Commission's proposal in detail to accurately assess its actual impact.’
He added: ‘It is of the utmost importance that the design elements of the ETS should not prevent air transport being able to grow and develop. Crucially, air transport must also be treated in exactly the same way as other industries under the existing ETS and should in no way be discriminated against.
‘Europe?s airports applaud the efforts of Commissioner Jacques Barrot for advocating a balanced, realistic approach. Going forward with an intra-EU emissions trading scheme, as a first step, is a realistic way to ultimately ensure a global approach.’