Airport blast EU air tax proposal
12.0810
Newcastle Airport chiefs blasted what they consider to be damaging proposals for new taxes imposed by the European Union, the Journal reports. The EU has raised the prospect of levying direct taxes on member states in return for lowering the fixed contribution they make. Taxes on aviation, financial transactions and carbon emission permits could be introduced, but Newcastle Airport has said this would hit regional air services.
Graeme Mason, the airport’s planning director, said: ‘We are confident that the UK Government would veto any move to tax aviation at an EU level. A further tax would be unacceptable and particularly damaging to regional air services. We believe that the EU Emissions Trading Scheme is the most appropriate way to manage the carbon impact of aviation. Our view is that national taxes such as Air Passenger Duty should be phased out once the ETS comes in.’
The developments come after BrA boss Willie Walsh used his first meeting with the new Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, to warn the new ‘per plane’ tax planned to replace APD could hit regional flights.
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