The Head of the Maltese S&D Labour Party Delegation at the European Parliament Alfred Sant voted against a report to the parliament’s plenary on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the European Council to introduce new green taxes on fuel while ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport.

He stressed that as he has been saying time and time again, the proposed green kerosene tax will not affect the European Member States in the same way and expressed concern that the hardest hit will be island states.

Sant suggested that the energy transition to enable air transport to decarbonize must be smooth. This should not be achieved by removing operational flexibility and reduce connectivity which is vital for islands, peripheral and remote regions that are highly dependent on air transport, he emphasized.

In line with priorities set out in the European Green Deal, on 14 July 2021, the European Commission presented a package of proposals to make the European Union’s energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels – the ‘fit for 55’ package intended to reverse climate warming.

This package includes a proposal to ensure a level playing field for sustainable air transport, also known as the ReFuelEu Aviation initiative.

Labour MEP Sant claimed that the report does not take into account the particular needs of island, peripheral and remote regions.

He warned that the abrupt increase in the share of sustainable aviation fuel within the transport mix will hit hard Member States whose economy depends on imports and visitors arriving by air.

Besides, he pointed out that the measures aimed to tackle fuel tankering practices in the European Parliament Report ignores operational realities for remote airports.

“The reality of an airport in the middle of the Mediterranean is not the same as that of Frankfurt airport in terms of turnaround flexibility”, he noted.