EU Carbon Tax on Airlines

Cheryl Hogue has an article entitled, "Unfriendly Skies" in the October 17 issue of Chemical and Engineering News. It is basically about an argument between international airlines and the European Union. The European Union (EU) says that when airline flights enter EU space, they generate significant quantities of carbon dioxide through the burning of their jet fuel. The EU says the airlines are subject to "Cap & Trade", which essentially means they must pay tax. The airline object, because it will cost money.

This is only a small segment of the many arguments which involve Cap & Trade, not only at the European Union level, but which also in the US

It may be interesting to review Cap & Trade, for what it really is; a government tax.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Western Europe has been continually moving toward a socialistic culture. However, the inherent economics of socialism is starting to catch up with them. We see this in the economic problems of Greece, followed by Italy and Spain. Even Germany will eventually not be exempt. Collectively, they will all go down to defeat, as the EU is unable to meet its obligations to the various populations.

These obligations involve governmental benefits, such as free housing, free medical care, etc., without the production level to sustain these costs. In an effort to maintain solvency in the various governmental coffers, and the EU in total, various tax forms been developed. The latest of these is the "carbon tax", which has previously been disguised as "Cap & Trade". It is just another new name for a tax to postpone the eventual collapse of socialism, as governments are unable to obtain sufficient revenue to continue the offering of benefits to its populations.