4 | Issue 01/2016 POLICY BRIEF THREE QUESTIONS FOR NEW A4E WORKING GROUP DANIEL WEDER STAKEHOLDER ON ENVIRONMENT CORNER On the occasion of the etc.) and not a pure presentation of the cost-reduction European Commission’s INSIDE approach. Today‘s “European Strategy for A4E technological possibilities, which would clearly Low-Emission Mobility” improve the situation, are not, or only seldom, on 20 July, A4E set used in Air Navigation Services (for instance out its frst priorities in Virtual Centres). on environmental policy: ICAO’s global Question: On June 28, the CEOs of A4E market-based measure and government airlines presented operational, technological support for sustainable low carbon fuels. and political suggestions to limit the impact Daniel Weder became CEO of skyguide, the of controller’s strikes and are now looking A4E calls on all governments to support Swiss air navigation service provider, in 2007. towards ANSPs for support in implementing ICAO’s (International Civil Aviation Orga- them. What’s your position regarding the A4E nisation) proposeD carbon offset scheme Question: What were your initial thoughts Call for Action? to cap emissions from 2020. During the when you frst heard of A4E? Weder: As for skyguide, we do generally review of the EU Emission TraDing Scheme Weder: With A4E we have now a strong agree with the “9 principles“ put forward by (ETS) for aviation later this year, the Euro- customer voice coming up with focussed A4E concerning strikes in Air Traffc Control. pean legislator should ensure the compe- positions and ideas. Solution oriented airlines However, there are two caveats. First, the titiveness of European carriers and avoid and progressive ANSPs should team up; to pre-announcement of a strike is legally deter- adverse fnancial and political implications. move forward, we need to consider the entire mined; this needs not only the involvement of The implementation of the global scheme aviation value chain. ANSPs but especially of the respective States. shoulD renDer unnecessary existing and Question: How do you see the future of Second, a possible compensation for the loss new economic measures for international your service segment? caused by an Air Traffc Control strike should aviation emissions on a regional or national Weder: We at skyguide are of the opi- have a mechanism that doesn‘t provide the basis. A4E’s expectation is that the global nion that a paradigm shift is needed in Air strike leaders with an even bigger lever on the carbon offsetting scheme will replace the Navigation Services. In general, the industry company. But in general, these 9 principles aviation ETS. In this context, A4E has parti- needs to adopt a value-based view (shorter are a good and important basis for concrete cipated earlier this year in a public consulta- routes, fexible capacity, service continuity, measures. ( tion of the European Commission. Developing sustainable fuel solutions is also critical: unliKe grounD transport, aviation Wednesday 27 April 2016 ABOLISHING PASSENGER Does not have alternative energy sources 12.30-14.00 TAXES TO CREATE JOBS such as hyDrogen, natural gas anD electrical batteries, while favourable renewable ener- In spring A4E joined an aviation briefng organi- gy policies for transport focus primarily on sed by MEP Ramon Tremosa i Balcells. roaD vehicles. The only fuel alternative avai- During the session in the European Parliament, lable for aviation in the short to miD-term A4E highlighted that analyses show that remo- are sustainable low-carbon fuels but airlines ving taxes is benefcial. The Dutch government’s currently face high prices and low availa- Rue du Luxembourg 3 Brussels, th 27 April 1000 Brussels 2016 - Belgium Tel +49 172 424 0381 removal of its ticKet tax in 2009 leD to strong bility. Therefore, a more favourable policy aage.duenhaupt @a4e.eu www.a4e.eu A4E calls for the abolishment of passenger taxes growth in passengers; the Irish government’s frameworK is necessary to create a stable growth and create more jobs in Europe to boost economic - Norway and Italy should - Joint learn from the Netherlands and Ireland aviation briefing at the E uropean Parliament . Tremosa i Balcells with M removal of a traffc tax in April 2014 led to exten- , Norwegian’s Bjørn Kjos and Ville Iho from FinnairEP Ramon market environment, ensuring a suffcient, Today, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and executives from . airlines participated in an aviation briefing its member Tremosa organised i Balcells. by MEP Ramon sive traffc growth at Irish airports and to an 8% price-competitive anD non-Distortive supply. Since its launch in January A4E has rising aviation taxes in E addressed the issue of urope new and Instead of preventing , as one of its key policy priorities economic . growth and unreasonable taxes, European government job creation by imposing increase in tourism last year; economic analysis An example for such a policy incentive is supportive regulatory environment s should create a . “By weakening an enabler of economic activity, governments are shooting themselves in the foot: they only see the short term by PwC shows removing UK Air Passenger Duty the use of aviation biofuels in the Renewa- budgetary gains but ignore the larger and long economic activity. By re -term impact on moving passenger end up as net beneficiaries due to the increased taxes governments would and other taxes, as well as higher passenger numbersrevenues from VAT (APD) would boost British GDP by 1.7% and Reynaert, Managing Director of A4E. ble Energy Directive (which has so far only ”, said Thomas “As an economics professor before being a politician, I believe that what is important for airlines, like any other business, is to have full transparency woulD create 60,000 new jobs by 2020. Nor- and predictability on been put into practice in The NetherlanDs). taxation decisions at Member States level. I ask the European Commission to publ their economic impact. The EU should be much more active in the icly list these taxes and levies and to examine coordination of Member States tax policies” wegian CEO Bjørn Kjos critisieD the Norwegian Balcells, Member of the European Parliament from Barcelona. , declared Ramon Tremosa i A4E also supports current ideas in the 1 Government’s new air passenger tax of € 8.50 European Parliament to encourage Member anD its harmful impact on Norway’s economy States to use bio-waste, in particular for anD airline inDustry. Ville Iho, Finnair’s Deputy the proDuction of sustainable low carbon CEO anD COO, explaineD the negative impact on fuels for aviation, within the scope of the consumers faceD with higher fares anD a reDucti- Proposal for a Directive amenDing Directive on of connectivity. ( 2008/98/EC on Waste. ( AIRLINES FOR EUROPE | Rue du Luxembourg 3 | B-1000 Brussels [email protected] Tel.: +32 27 93 09 11 | twitter @A4Europe | www.A4E.eu.