Aviation carbon tax meeting closes in Moscow

 

A two-day closed door meeting to oppose the EU's carbon emission tax imposed on the aviation industry came to an end on Wednesday. Delegates from more than 20 countries signed a joint declaration on the issue.

Delegates from at least 26 countries gathered in Moscow to discuss their opposition to the EU's controversial new tax. The outcome had members agree to take measures in response to the move.

These measures include enacting legislations to ban airlines from paying such tax, imposing new charges on European airlines flying into non-EU countries, and suspending current and future negotiations over EU airlines' requests for new routes.

The EU is charging airlines for all carbon emissions on flights entering European airspace starting this year. China, India, Russia and the US have called the carbon tax a trade barrier disguised as an environmental incentive. And the world's airline industries have warned that the escalating fight could lead to a trade war.

The EU, however, insists that its plan is a necessary part of the global effort to fight climate change.