Stansted expansion faces checks by European Parliament

8.33.45pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 4th Jul 2006

LibDem protests against Stansted expansion

4th July: Airports in the East of England may be heaving with holidaymakers but MEPs have warned that the accelerating growth in air travel jeopardises Europe's attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Today the European Parliament has called for urgent action to force airline operators to pay towards the real costs of their carbon dioxide emissions. MEPs propose that aviation should be subject to the EU's carbon emissions trading scheme; that aviation fuel should be levied for excise duty; and that VAT exemptions for the aviation industry should be ended.

Parliament wants the European Commission to set up a new emissions trading scheme specifically for the aviation sector. The initial allocation of emission rights should be auctioned, and a cap should be imposed on the overall number of rights on the market.

Air transport contributes just 4% of current CO2 emissions but the volume has grown by 85% since 1990. Emissions from aircraft at great height affect cloud formation in the stratosphere, magnifying the global warming effects.

Andrew DUFF, Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the East of England, strongly supported the tough line taken by Parliament. In a statement today, DUFF said:

"Growth in cheap air travel is one of the great policy successes of the European Union, but we must face up to its environmental impact. To date, the principle that the polluter pays for pollution has been able to be almost ignored by the aviation industry.

"With Luton and Stansted, our region risks becoming one of the biggest polluters in Europe. By placing fair and realistic costs on air travel we will do something to ensure that the continued inevitable growth in air travel is not at the expense of future generations or the poor across the world.

"The Lib Dem message is that airports such as Stansted can only expand if carbon dioxide emissions are not increased and other EU environmental controls, such as those on noise, are strictly met."

The measures being proposed by MEPs are expected to increase average flight costs by less than £10 but would reward operators who invested in the most up to date technology.

Contact: Tim Huggan

Constituency Officer

Andrew Duff

Liberal Democrat MEP for the East of England

T 01223 566 700

F 08707 058523

M 07973 359 117

Email tim@andrewduffmep.org