PURPOSE: to introduce a temporary derogation for the monitoring, reporting and surrendering of allowances from flights to and from countries outside the EEA from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2016, to lighten the administrative burden and simplify the administration of the scheme.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) n° 421/2014 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
CONTENT: in line with the outcome of the 38th International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly held in September 2013, there should be a single global market-based measure applying to international aviation emissions from 2020 onwards. This new Regulation is intended to maintain the momentum reached within the ICAO and to facilitate progress at the upcoming 39th session in 2016.
The main amendments are as follows:
Derogations to 31 December 2016: the new Regulation provides that Directive 2003/87/EC on greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community will apply within the European Economic Area (EEA) for the period until 31 December 2016 in respect of: (i) flights to and from aerodromes located in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA); (ii) flights to and from an aerodrome in an outermost region and an aerodrome located in another region in the EEA.
Flights between aerodromes located in States of the EEA and aerodromes located in countries that acceded to the Union in 2013 should be considered to be flights between States of the EEA. Flights between an aerodrome located in an outermost region and an aerodrome located in another region of the EEA should also be included in the derogation established under the Regulation.
Simplified procedures: to avoid a disproportionate administrative burden for the smallest aircraft operators, a temporary exemption is added to Directive 2003/87/EC. Non-commercial aircraft operators emitting less than 1 000 tonnes CO2 per annum will be exempt from the scope of that Directive, from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2020.
Report: after the 2016 ICAO Assembly, the Commission will provide a full 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 a non-discriminatory manner.
In its report, the Commission shall consider, and, if appropriate, include proposals in reaction to, the appropriate scope for coverage of emissions from activity to and from aerodromes located in countries outside the EEA from 1 January 2017 onwards.
The Commission shall regularly, and at least once a year, inform the European Parliament and the Council of the progress of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) negotiations.
Use to be made of revenues generated from the auctioning of allowances: these revenues, or their equivalent in financial value, should be used to tackle climate change in the Union and third countries, especially developing countries. They should also be used to fund contributions to the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund, and measures to avoid deforestation.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 30.04.2014.