International

“The SP supports the Commission's proposal by which it intends to put a stop to air transport's rapidly growing contribution to climate change. The inclusion of the air transport sector in emissions trading cannot be the only instrument to achieve this, but must rather form part of a package of measures including the introduction of a tax on aviation fuel, VAT on tickets, and a congestion tax for airports," argues SP Euro-MP Kartika Liotard, who sits on the European Parliament's Environment Committee, yesterday evening at the Parliament's Strasbourg plenary.

“Emission rights must, moreover, be auctioned, and we should be adding Nox (Nitrous Oxide) to the system at European level as we have already done in the Netherlands, and not limiting it to CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), Ms Liotard argued.

The SP is also urging further research into cleaner motors, provided this does not lead once again to the postponement of effective measures against specific emissions. At the same time the tax privileges enjoyed by the air transport sector internationally must be ended. This has for decades led to unfair competition between different modes of transport. "We strongly support, therefore, the proposal that the EU itself should make a start by introducing a tax on aviation fuel on all flights internal to its territory."