Question : CARBON EMISSION TAX ON AIRCRAFTS

(a) whether the European Union proposes to levy carbon emission taxes on aircrafts using its airspace;

(b) if so, whether the Government has set up a Committee of Secretaries (CoS) to counter the plans of the European Union;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Committee has submitted its report to the Government;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to protect the interests of Indian Aviation industry and the time by which a final decision is likely to be taken in this regard?

MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION ( SHRI AJIT SINGH )

(a) to (f)Yes, Madam. The Committee of Secretaries (COS) deliberated on the proposal of European Union (EU) to unilaterally levy Carbon Emission Tax on aircrafts using their air space and in its first meeting held on 29th July, 2011 it, inter alia, recommended convening of a meeting of Non-EU International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council Members and other Non-EU Member States for formulating an action plan to counter the European Union Emission Trading System (EU-ETS). An International Meeting at New Delhi was held on 29-30th September, 2011 attended by 25 countries wherein a Delhi Declaration was adopted. As a follow up to this Declaration, another meeting was held in Moscow on 21-22nd February, 2012 culminating in adoption of Moscow Declaration. These Declarations adopted a series of counter measures which could be invoked. Based on these declarations, the second COS meeting held on 29th March, 2012, recommended that the Indian carriers should not participate in EU-ETS. Accordingly, the Indian carriers were formally prohibited from participating in the EU-ETS.