Lawmakers travel to Canada to take on EU emissions trading for flights

{mosads}It’s imperative that the organization block the EU emission trading system, Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) said Friday.

“If imposed on January 1st, this tax could close down direct travel from most central and western U.S. airports to Europe, and remaining airline ticket costs would skyrocket,” Mica said in a statement. “This ill-conceived EU aviation tax scheme is a violation of international law.”

Lawmakers on Mica’s transportation committee have introduced a bill to block the EU Emission Trading System, which is similar to cap-and-trade proposals that have become politically toxic in the U.S. The measure, dubbed “The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011,” is backed by Democrats and Republicans in the House.

The House is expected to bring up the bill next week.

That measure notwithstanding, however, Aviation subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri agreed with Mica that the ICAO should step in.

“We are asking all nations to oppose this tax by the European Union in favor of a positive outcome which can be achieved by working with ICAO and the international community,” Petri said in a statement.