Alan George/BRUSSELS
A significant tightening of European emissions and noise controls is foreshadowed in a European Commission (EC) consultation paper, which is intended to help formulate a new environmental policy while incorporating the decisions of the United Nations Kyoto conference on climate change.
The consultation paper, entitled Air Transport and the Environment, has been issued by the EC's transport directorate. Airlines and other interested parties were given a 15 October deadline to submit their comments.
The paper asserts that "-the present regulatory system does not seem fully capable of reconciling the legitimate interests of operators, passengers and [freight] forwarders on the one hand, and citizens affected by the environmental nuisances on the other".
Hinting strongly at the prospect of tougher emissions and noise measures, the document continues: "In particular [the present regulatory system] lacks incentives for operators to go beyond internationally agreed environmental standards. This means that the environmental impact of air transport activities will deteriorate if a business-as-usual approach prevails over the next decade."
Leaving no room for doubt, the consultation paper states that it is "-based on the premise that significant improvements in both the local [noise] and global environmental impact of air transport activities is required in order to ensure the sustainable development of the sector".
The paper includes a series of policy options. These include the formulation of European technical standards additional to those of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the imposition of a kerosene tax. It also suggests the establishment of a common noise-measurement index and measures to clarify existing EC regulations on aviation and the environment.
ICAO is already trying to head off unilateral action by regions - and even by individual airports - by trying to push through more stringent standards on noise and emissions.
With the EC planning to follow the consultation process with the issue of a formal policy statement by early next year, Brussels appears intent on pushing ahead without waiting for new internationally acceptable standards.
The policy statement would then be considered by the Council of European transport ministers and by the European Parliament. The first concrete measures could be implemented towards the end of next year.
Source: Flight International
