{"id":226967,"date":"2026-07-21T15:12:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T13:12:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/?p=226967"},"modified":"2026-07-21T15:12:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T13:12:21","slug":"10000-km-emissions-quotas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/10000-km-emissions-quotas","title":{"rendered":"EU: Flights under 5,000 km subject to emissions quotas"},"content":{"rendered":"

As expected, some are saying \" deeply frustrated<\/em> \u00bb through the planned revision of the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) like the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Others, such as Ourania Georgoutsakou, Director General of Airlines for Europe (A4E), are dissatisfied with a reform that \u00ab cannot fully <\/em>\" \u00e0 \" to direct the money paid by passengers towards its climate and competitiveness policies<\/em> \".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, the cost of these quotas penalises European companies against competition from the Middle East or Turkey, while the contribution of European companies \u2013 \u20ac2.3 billion in 2024 and likely around \u20ac5 billion in 2030 \u2013 should be reinvested in the sector's decarbonisation and support for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. As for the think tank Transport & Environment (T&E), the revision proposal presented last July 17th by the European Commission is \" largely insufficient given the climate emergency<\/em> \".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short-haul vs long-haul flights: the dividing line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For one reason or another, their anger is focused on one issue: the plan to extend the ETS scheme from 2029 to include international flights of less than 5,000 km, whereas until now it has only applied to intra-European flights. Consequently, this carbon pricing scheme would apply to flights such as Paris\u2013Dubai or Paris\u2013Istanbul, but not to long-haul routes to New York and Tokyo. According to T&E, a total of 47% of aviation emissions would fall outside the scope of the scheme.;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\" For the very first time, all international flights could be included in the European carbon market.<\/em>said J\u00e9r\u00f4me du Boucher, aviation manager at T&E France. However, due to pressure from the sector, only some journeys would be affected, and the longest and most polluting flights would remain exempt. <\/em>\u00bb A sector which, however, sees this directive as \u00ab A historical error by the EU <\/em>\u00bb according to its main representative, Willie Walsh, the Director General of IATA: \u00ab The consequences will be detrimental, fuelling tensions linked to extraterritoriality, slowing global decarbonisation and weakening European competitiveness.<\/em> \". \" Travellers and businesses in Europe will pay the price.<\/em> \", he predicted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Brussels replies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The accused, stand up: but what does the EU say? Since its launch in 2005, this emissions trading system \" proven<\/em> \u00bb according to the Commission, generating over \u20ac270 billion in revenue reinvested in innovation, industrial decarbonisation and the modernisation of the European energy system. \u00ab To ensure an economy-wide transition, all sectors must contribute their fair share to the EU's climate objectives. This requires applying an effective carbon price signal to the EU's fair share of aviation emissions.<\/em> ", states the proposed directive, highlighting that aviation\u2019s share of emissions from the EU transport sector currently stands at 14 %, representing approximately 4 % of total CO\u2082 emissions2<\/sub> of the EU. Hence a conclusion: \u201c Long-haul flights fuel this growth and should be subject to a significant carbon price<\/em> \".<\/p>\n\n\n\n