Regulation 2014/421 - Amendment of Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the EC, in view of the implementation by 2020 of an international agreement applying a single global market-based measure to international aviation emissions - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 129/1

The aviation sector has a strong international character. A global approach to addressing emissions from international aviation offers the best prospects for ensuring sustainability in the long term.

The Union is endeavouring to secure a future international agreement to control greenhouse gas emissions from aviation and, in the meantime, is limiting climate change impacts from aviation activities to and from aerodromes in the Union, by autonomous action. In order to ensure that those objectives are mutually supportive and not in conflict, it is appropriate to take account of developments at, and positions taken in, international fora and in particular to take account of the resolution containing the ‘Consolidated statement of continuing ICAO policies and practices related to environmental protection’ adopted on 4 October 2013 at the 38th Session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Consequently, 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 (3) 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). In doing so, the Union emphasises that legal requirements can be applied in respect of flights to and from aerodromes located in States of the EEA, in the same manner as legal requirements can be applied in respect of the emissions from flights between such aerodromes. In order to ensure legal certainty, for the purposes of this derogation, 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.

It is recalled that, under Directive 2003/87/EC, it is for Member States to determine the 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, inter alia, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the Union and third countries, especially developing countries, to fund research and development for mitigation and adaptation, including in particular in the fields of aeronautics and air transport, to reduce emissions through low-emissions transport and to cover the costs of administering the Union scheme. The proceeds of auctioning, or their equivalent in financial value, should also be used to fund contributions to the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund, and measures to avoid deforestation. Transparency on the use of revenue generated from the...