On November 27, 2012, the President signed into law to ensure the United States will not participate in an unfair European Union (EU) scheme to tax American and other nations’ aircraft operators and air carriers on emissions when flying into and out of the EU.

 

S. 1956, the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011, is a Senate companion to bipartisan legislation that was introduced in the House by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders, including Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-WI).

 

Although the EU recently announced a one-year postponement in implementing the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for international flights, the approved bill ensures that U.S. aircraft operators will not at any point participate in the proposed plan.

 

The EU’s plan violates international law and U.S. sovereignty, unfairly imposing a tax over the entire length of a flight, even when the majority of the flight occurs in another nation’s airspace or over international waters. Furthermore, the scheme does not require that funds collected by EU states be used to reduce aviation emissions.

 

While the EU has delayed the plan, the unjust tax on international aviation must not be allowed to resurface while international parties continue working together through the appropriate body: the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

 

The bill S. 1956 is a firm response by the United States Congress that this nation will not allow U.S. jobs and aviation industry to be threatened by this EU cash grab in the form of a unilaterally imposed and unlawful tax scheme.
  

Press Releases and News:

 

November 27, 2012: Law Prohibits Unfair EU Taxation of U.S. Aviation

November 13, 2012: House Votes to Halt EU Air Tax

August 3, 2012: Mica Calls for Senate Vote on Bill Halting EU Air Tax

March 26, 2012: Subcommittee Leaders to Hold Roundtable Discussion on EU's Emissions Trading Scheme

October 24, 2011: U.S. House Votes to Halt EU Air Tax

October 21, 2011: U.S. Delegation Works to Halt EU Air Tax

September 8, 2011: Committee Approves Slate of Transportation & Infrastructure Measures

July 27, 2011: Committee, Federal Officials, Aviation & Labor Groups United in Opposition to EU Plan to Tax U.S. Air Carriers under Emissions Trading Scheme

July 26, 2011: Hearing to Focus on European Union's Plan to Tax U.S. Air Carriers under Emissions Trading Scheme

July 20, 2011: Bill Prohibits U.S. Airlines Taxes in Illegal European Emissions Scheme

July 19, 2011: Transportation Leaders to Hold Press Conference on EU Emissions Trading Legislation