The EU unilaterally launches extra-sovereign taxation but the U.S. is arrogant and ignorant for maintaining sovereignty. Right…
A leading MEP strongly reacted after the US Senate transport committee cleared a key vote on a measure that would ban American airlines from paying for their carbon emissions and participating in the EU’s controversial cap-and-trade scheme.
“The United States spurn international efforts to mitigate climate change,” said German Socialist democratic MEP, Jo LEINEN, slamming a US bill under which American airlines would not pay into the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS).
Leinen called the upcoming decision by the U.S. Congress ‘arrogant’ and ‘ignorant’.
“It would be absolutely arrogant to prohibit American companies to comply with EU legislation. This would be an unprecedented step to thwart the legal standards in Europe. The decision would be ignorant as well because it neglects the increase in greenhouse gas emission caused by aviation. There shall be no special treatment for American Airlines,” said Leinen.
The MEP argued that it would be surprising for the US to accept air passenger duties and taxes in Europe, but not the costs from the ETS.
“The air passenger duty at London Heathrow alone is worth about £160, ten times higher than the charges resulting from the Emission Trading Scheme,” he added.
The Senate’s clearing comes after the bill has already been approved by the full House and as the United States hosts two days of talk with 16 other non-European countries opposed to the EU law, aiming to draw up an alternative global plan.
More than two dozen countries including China, India, Russia, and the US have opposed the EU move, saying it violates international law.
“The United States spurn international efforts to mitigate climate change,” said German Socialist democratic MEP, Jo LEINEN,
As Germany continues to build coal powered electricity generating plants.
We should tax European stuff until they reduce their emissions to the extent the US already has. They’d be forced to admit that it really isn’t about emissions, and never was.
But ralphcramdo, that is for a good cause. Against those awful non-emitting nuclear reactors being shut down. And ofcourse to compensate for the windfarms up north which have to route their energy via the neighboring countries to the south where it is needed due to lack of powertransport facilities but which can’t cope with the surges. Weird that nobody considered that tiny detail when building a massive windfarm as far away from the industrial area’s as possible.