The European Parliament adopted by 458 votes to 120, with 24 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community, in view of the implementation by 2020 of an international agreement applying a single global market-based measure to international aviation emissions.
Parliament adopted its position at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary are the result of an agreement negotiated between the European Parliament and the Council. They amend the proposal as follows:
Current derogations applicable only until 31 December 2016: in order to sustain the momentum reached at the 38th Session of the ICAO Assembly in 2013 and facilitate progress at the upcoming 39th Session in 2016, it is desirable to temporarily consider the requirements set out in Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council to be satisfied for the period until 31 December 2016 in respect of flights to and from aerodromes in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
According to the amended text, Member States would therefore take no action against aircraft operators in respect of:
· all emissions from flights to and from aerodromes located in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in each calendar year from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2016;
· all emissions from flights between an aerodrome located in an outermost region within the meaning of Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and an aerodrome located in another region of the EEA in each calendar year from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2016.
The Commission should regularly inform the European Parliament and the Council of the progress of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) negotiations as well as of its efforts to promote the international acceptance of market-based mechanisms among third countries. Following the 2016 ICAO Assembly, the Commission should report to the European Parliament and to the Council on actions to implement an international agreement on a global market-based measure from 2020, that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation.
In its report, the Commission should consider, and, if appropriate, include proposals in reaction to, those developments on the appropriate scope for coverage of emissions from activity to and from aerodromes located in countries outside the EEA from 1 January 2017 onwards.
Use to be made of revenues generated from the auctioning of allowances: those revenues, or their equivalent in financial value, should be used to tackle climate change in the Union and third countries, among other things, to :
· reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
· adapt to the impacts of climate change in the Union and third countries, especially developing countries,
· fund research and development for mitigation and adaptation, including in particular in the fields of aeronautics and air transport,
· reduce emissions through low-emissions transport and cover the costs of administering the Union scheme,
· fund contributions to the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund, and measures to avoid deforestation.
Member States would be obliged to submit to the Commission a report on the use of revenues from the auctioning of such allowances.