Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed proposals by members of the European Parliament - including East of England MEP Andrew Duff, whose constituency includes Harlow - for urgent action to force airline operators to pay towards the real costs of their carbon dioxide emissions.

MEPs have proposed that aviation should be subject to the EU's carbon emissions trading scheme; that aviation fuel should be levied for excise duty; and that VAT exemptions for the aviation industry should be ended. Harlow's Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Chris Millington says:

"Air transport contributes just 4 per cent of current CO2 emissions - but the volume has grown by 85 per cent since 1990. The accelerating growth in air travel from airports such as Stansted puts at risk Europe's attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Until now, the principle that the polluter pays for pollution has been almost ignored by the aviation industry. The Liberal Democrat message is that airports such as Stansted can only expand if carbon dioxide emissions are not increased and if other EU environmental controls, such as those on noise, are strictly met."

The European Parliament wants the European Commission to set up a new emissions trading scheme specifically for the aviation sector. The initial allocation of emission rights should be auctioned, and a cap should be imposed on the overall number of rights on the market.

The measures being proposed by MEPs are expected to increase average flight costs by less than £10, but would reward operators who invested in the most up to date technology.