AEF to defend EU climate policy against legal challenge

27th May, 2010

AEF, together with a trans-Atlantic grouping of environmental organisations, will join a court action to defend Europe’s right to tackle carbon emissions from foreign aircraft that visit Europe. The UK High Court today granted permission for NGOs to intervene in support of the UK government’s implementation of EU policy to extend its emissions trading scheme (or ETS) to include aviation.

Late last year, three US airlines and their trade association, the American Air Transport Association (ATA), brought an action in the UK Court claiming that the extension of EU ETS to foreign carriers was unlawful. The UK will now refer the matter to the European Court of Justice and a hearing is not expected for several months.

For more information, and comment from the AEF Director, please see our press section.