EU open to talks but won't scrap carbon tax

SINGAPORE — Europe is willing to discuss its new carbon emissions tax for airlines with disgruntled governments but has no plans to scrap the levy, top EU officials said Monday.

Airlines and governments have complained the tax is too costly and was implemented without consultation. Industry leaders are warning the disagreement could spark a trade war between Europe and the rest of the world.

"We're ready to negotiate within our framework," Siim Kallas, European Commission vice president and transport commissioner, said at an aviation conference in Singapore. "We aren't trying to dominate the world."

The EU imposed the tax, known as the emissions trading scheme, on Jan. 1 in a bid to curb climate-changing gases but money will not be collected until next year.

Under the system, airlines flying to or from Europe must obtain certificates for carbon dioxide emissions. They will get free credits to cover most flights this year but must buy or trade for credits to cover the rest.

"I'm very worried," said Tom Enders, chief executive of Airbus, the world's largest commercial airplane maker. "What started out as a solution for the environment has become a source of potential trade conflict."

EU officials cite a doubling of aviation carbon emissions in Europe between 1990 and 2006 and the inability of governments to forge a global deal on reducing emissions as reasons that prompted them to act.

"ETS will be implemented," said Matthew Baldwin, director of aviation and international transport affairs for the European Commission. "We recognize just how strong the opposition is. If there's a global deal, we can amend ETS."

Baldwin said the earliest scheduled review of the scheme would be in 2014.

Last week, China barred its carriers from paying the charges or other fees without government permission, and Russia, India and the U.S. have also voiced opposition.

Asian carriers say the carbon tax unfairly penalizes them and favors Middle East rivals because the charge is based on the distance of the flight.

"There's a difference between leadership and bludgeoning, you guys tried the latter and are now discovering it works both ways," said John Slosar, CEO of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways.

"It's not surprising you're getting this push-back," Slosar said, addressing Baldwin. "Your scheme was ill-founded and you went ahead with it anyway."