Council adopts decision on offsetting requirements for air transport emissions (CORSIA)

F.P. Report

BRUSSELS: The Council adopted the decision on the notification of CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) offsetting requirements, which aims to contribute to world wide’s ambitious goals towards climate neutrality.

 

CORSIA is a global scheme for offsetting CO2 emissions from international aviation adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2018, in which EU member states committed to participate from its pilot phase, which began in January 2021.

 

The decision adopted today enables member states to fulfil their first annual obligation to notify operators based in the Union of their CORSIA offsetting requirements, in line with their international commitments in ICAO.

 

Martin Kupka, Czech minister of transport

The EU will now implement the carbon offsetting requirements scheme which bring us closer to reaching climate neutrality by 2050. Fighting climate change is a collective, global responsibility and the EU fully supports multilateral efforts in ICAO to reduce the climate impact of international air transport.

 

Martin Kupka, Czech minister of transport

Other CORSIA obligations are implemented in EU law through the revision of the emissions trading system (ETS) for aviation, which is the subject of another Commission proposal. A provisional political agreement was recently reached between the Council and the Parliament on that file. These initiatives form part of the green transition and aim to limit climate impact of international air transport.

 

The CORSIA decision will allow member states to honour their international commitments and fulfil their notification obligations in accordance with the rules laid down by the ICAO until new rules under the revision of the ETS for aviation are adopted by the co-legislators and transposed into member states’ law.

 

Background

CORSIA was agreed on by the ICAO in 2018 with the aim of stabilising greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation at their pre-COVID 2019-2020 levels. It complements a broader basket of measures, including aircraft technology improvements, operational improvements and sustainable aviation fuels.

 

The CORSIA obligations have already started to apply. The monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements relating to CO2 emissions from international flights have applied since 1 January 2019. These obligations have been implemented in EU law by means of secondary legislation. The CORSIA offsetting requirements have applied since 1 January 2021. Participation of states in the CORSIA pilot phase (2021‑2023) and first phase (2024-2026) is voluntary. In June 2020, the Council adopted a decision sealing EU member states’ participation in CORSIA from the start of its voluntary phase on 1 January 2021.