Airline and aerospace groups appeal to Congress to repeal Euro carbon tax

The Europeans want to impose a carbon tax on American carriers, as The Hill tells us. Trade groups are fighting back:

A coalition of transportation groups is calling on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to ask a group that regulates international aviation to overturn the European Union's proposed requirement that airlines operating in its countries trade emissions.

The secretary of state and the transportation secretary should file a motion on behalf of the Obama administration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to oppose the rule, the groups said Monday.

"We urge the administration to file an action under Article 84 of the Chicago Convention and to take all other action necessary to overturn this wrongful scheme," the groups wrote in a letter to the secretaries.

"There is strong, bipartisan support for ensuring that U.S. passengers, airlines and aircraft operators are not subject to this unlawful scheme, as evidenced by the passage of H.R. 2594 in the House of Representatives and the mark up of S. 1956, the 'European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act,' scheduled for July 31 in the Senate," the groups continued. "We appreciate Congress’ action and support and trust that it will give the Administration further impetus for action."

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