Aviation is too privileged and doesn't pay enough tax, according to Environment Committee of the European Parliament.

The European Parliament’s Environment Committee voted this morning for an amendment which affirms that aviation is too privileged, gets too much State Aid, and criticises the failure of the sector to pay any fuel tax or VAT.

Commenting on the vote An Taisce's James Nix said that:

“The European Parliament's Environment Committee affirmed in its vote today that the aviation industry has been receiving special treatment unlike almost any other sector in Europe.

Not only does it not pay Value Added Tax (VAT), but the industry does not pay any fuel taxes and also receives generous subsidies in the form of State Aid – straight from taxpayers money. The Environment Committee's affirmation is the beginning of the end of these old privileges granted to the most climate-polluting form of transport."

ENDS

For further information, please call:

Charles Stanley-Smith, An Taisce Communications – Tel: 087 2411995

James Nix, Director, An Taisce – Tel: 086 8394129

Email: [email protected]

An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland

Notes:

Transport & Environment’s Press Release http://www.transportenvironment.org/press/environment-committee-confirms-need-global-aviation-emissions-deal Established in 1990, Transport & Environment is the leading NGO voice on smarter and greener transport policies at the EU level in Brussels. See http://www.transportenvironment.org