Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-13-Speech-3-169"
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"en.20001213.7.3-169"2
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".
Mr President, I am speaking in the capacity of draftsman of the opinion of my committee about the taxation of aircraft fuel.
While road transport pays a hefty fuel tax, commercial aviation is exempt from this. The directive concerned provides for the possibility, in future, of amending or abolishing this exemption, based on external costs and environmental damage. For the time being, bilateral agreements between Member States and third countries are precluding a levy on kerosene for international flights. A levy on aviation is of crucial importance, both on account of the ‘polluter-pays’ principle and equal competitive conditions for various modes of transport. The efforts of the members of the ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, should therefore be geared towards opening up this possibility, for which an opportunity will arise next autumn during the 33rd general meeting. For a variety of reasons, such as noise pollution, air pollution and energy consumption, the discouragement of shorter flights, certainly domestic flights, deserves much attention. As and when the train offers an equivalent alternative on an increasing number of routes, this alternative can be promoted. I am thrilled by the fact that, partly thanks to the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy, a number of important elements are once again brought to the fore in the report. Due to events occurring at the time, these elements met with less than adequate support in the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism.
The fact that fuel for road transport is about three times more expensive than aircraft fuel, is striking, to say the least. Add to this the unruly increase in the number of flights, including short-haul flights, and the question arises as to where all of this will end. In business and leisure travel alike, people must be able to choose on the basis of honest competitive conditions. But at the same time, people, including those who never fly, are entitled to expect noise, air and other pollution to be kept down to an absolute minimum. Plenty of reason, therefore, to take a close look at whether aviation is carrying its external costs and not prejudicing the train or bus owing to unfair competition."@en1
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