The French Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune, is studying limiting private jet flights at a time when efforts are required to limit climate change and energy consumption, and for this measure to be effective and have more effects, he would like it to be applied at European level.
"I think we have to act and regulate private jet flights. They are becoming the symbol of a two-speed effort," Beaune explains in statements published this Sunday by Le Parisien.
His intention is to raise this issue after the summer holidays when Emmanuel Macron's Executive discusses the so-called "sobriety plan" that aims to put into practice the energy savings required by the European Union to face the crisis due to the war in Ukraine.
But he will also take this matter to the next meeting with the other EU transport officials in October, since he believes that "the most effective thing is to act at a European level to have the same rules and more impact".
According to the NGO Transport
Le Parisien specifies that the French minister is considering different possibilities, which would range from incentive measures to reduce the use of these flights to regulations that would impose restrictions, passing through charges that would have a dissuasive effect.
Among the scenarios is forcing companies to make public their trips by private plane or a device to frame their use and even prevent it when there is an alternative with commercial flights or by train.
It would be a way to extend the device that already exists, which prevents airlines from operating internal lines in France when there is an alternative by train with a duration of less than two and a half hours, except if they are to establish interconnecting flights.
Another idea would be to integrate private aviation into the quota system of the future tax on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that is being designed in the EU.
Behind his plans, there is also the desire not to grow the impression that there are different yardsticks when it comes to demanding the tightening of the belt due to the climate and energy urgency.
