EU proposes to introduce unilateral air travel tax

Date: 31/10/2011

European efforts to make international air travel cleaner have been opposed by America's House of Representatives.

This is despite the proposed unilateral tax being upheld in court earlier this month.

However, Reuters has reported that some key members of America's lower house have expressed their support for the suggested measures, for their demonstration of Europe's commitment to dealing with climate change.

Henry Waxman, congressman for California and head Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, told the newswire: "If we expect European companies to comply with US law then we have to respect their laws."

EU plans to charge a universal tax for airliners and carriers travelling in to and out of any member state of the European Union would go a long way to helping European countries meet their emission reduction targets.

Europe's 20-20-20 target aims for a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on 1990 levels; 20 per cent of energy consumption to come from renewable resources; and a 20 per cent reduction in primary energy use to be achieved by improving energy efficiency, all by 2020.