EU heading for showdown with foreign airlines
Chinese and Indian airlines face possible sanctions if they do not comply with the European Union’s new airline carbon emissions charge.
The EU has given China and India a month to comply with the fee, which applies to all flights in and out of the EU.
EU Commissioner for Climate Change Connie Hedegaard said all EU airlines and "nearly all" world airlines had agreed to hand over emissions data required under a controversial carbon levy on air travel that took effect January 1.
"There has been a very, very high level of compliance … the only exception is Chinese and Indian carriers," she said at a news conference.
While some 1,200 airlines had complied with the EU requirements, eight Chinese and two Indian airlines had refused.
"They have been given until June 15 to report back their data," Hedegaard said, adding "if there is no data by the mid-June deadline then it will be up to member states to apply penalties."
Both India and China have attacked the EU scheme, calling it a unilateral trade levy.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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