Scrap state support for flying, says Keith Taylor, MEP
Keith Taylor, the Green Party MEP for the South East of England, has called for an end to the ‘unfair and unhealthy’ subsidies given to the aviation industry. In a response to the European Commission’s “Consultation on the draft Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines” Mr Taylor has said that he would like to see a move away from public money being spent on subsidising flying. It is estimated that the aviation industry in Europe would continue to receive around €3 billion a year in direct subsidies under new European Commission proposals. States would continue to disproportionately subsidise smaller airports, which are almost exclusively used by low-fares airlines. The direct subsidies are complemented by even larger tax exemptions, recently estimated by CE Delft at €30-42 billion every year. Mr Taylor believes EU state aid for the aviation industry should only be in the case of very isolated regions, where support can be provided under a Public Service Obligation.
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Scrap state support for flying, says MEP
24.9.2013 (Keith Taylor’s website)
Keith Taylor, the Green Party MEP for the South East of England, has called for an end to the ‘unfair and unhealthy’ subsidies given to the aviation industry.
In a response to the European Commission’s “Consultation on the draft Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines” Mr Taylor has said that he would like to see a move away from public money being spent on subsidising flying.
According to the campaign group Transport & Environment Europe’s aviation industry would continue to receive around €3 billion a year in direct subsidies under new European Commission proposals. States would continue to disproportionately subsidise smaller airports, which are almost exclusively used by low-fares airlines.
The direct subsidies are complemented by even larger tax exemptions, recently estimated by CE Delft [Marisa Korteland and Jasper Faber, Estimated revenues of VAT and fuel tax on aviation, CE Delft, July 2013] at €30-42 billion every year.
Mr Taylor said:
“I believe that the EU should move as quickly as possible towards ending all state support for the aviation industry, except in the case of very isolated regions, where support can be provided under a Public Service Obligation.”
Mr Taylor, whose constituency includes Gatwick Airport and areas in close proximity to Heathrow, went on to criticize state-aid for aviation for its role in promoting a polluting and harmful industry.
He said:
“Propping up the aviation industry through state subsidies is completely unjustified and makes a mockery of the efforts of the EU, Member States and EU citizens to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Just this week, Lord Stern, the former World Bank chief economist and author of the landmark 2006 report on the costs of climate change, said that the European Union should set a goal to halve emissions from 1990 to 2030, rather than to reduce them by 40% as has been proposed.
Not only is aviation the most climate-damaging form of transport, the noise, air pollution and traffic associated with flying have negative health and social impacts on millions of people across Europe.”
Ends
You can read Mr Taylor’s full consultation response here:
http://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/2013/09/25/scrap-state-support-for-flying-says-mep/
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Background to State air for airports and airlines:
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Earlier
Consultation on rules for European Commission state aid to airports and airlines
Date added: September 18, 2013
Under the European Commission, state aid is granted to various sectors of the economy. However, a key issue is the impact it has on distorting the market, and giving an unfair advantage to those companies or organisations receiving it. Airports and airlines are one sector that receives large amounts of state aid through the EC. The Commission’s DG Competition is tasked with overseeing state aid. There have been earlier sets of guidelines on state aid to airports and airlines, but there is a current consultation – due to end on 25th September (which may be extended). The exact amount of state aid given to the aviation sector is somewhat shady, but is at least €3 billion, for those subsidies that are fully notified.There have been widely publicised cases, such as that of Ryanair at Charleroi airport. Transport & Environment have produced an easy-to-read briefing on the state aid situation, and people are urged to respond to the consultation. The state aid gives the aviation industry unmerited subsidy, and helps to encourage very high carbon travel.
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