Proposition 54K3396

Projet de loi portant assentiment a l'Accord entre le Gouvernement du Royaume de Belgique et le Gouvernement de l'Australie relatif aux services aériens, et a son annexe, faits à Canberra le 23 novembre 2012.

General information ¶

Submitted by

MR Swedish coalition

Submission date

Nov. 23, 2018

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

Australia international agreement air law air transport transport law transport regulations

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

CD&V Open Vld N-VA MR PP

Voted to reject

Groen Ecolo LE DéFI PVDA | PTB

Abstained from voting

Vooruit PS | SP ∉ VB

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

Jan. 31, 2019 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

The rapporteur, Mr Tim Vandenput, refers to the written report.

Our group will oppose the ratification of this agreement.

It is envisaged in this agreement with Australia, which has no air relationship with Belgium today – but wants to develop it – that no tax on kerosene can be levied. It is well known that IATA rules provide that kerosene taxes are not possible, but during the discussion in the committee, our colleague De Vriendt drew attention to the fact that, in an agreement concluded between Belgium and Qatar, it was explicitly provided that a tax could be instituted. This is not the case here. Therefore, it will need to renegotiate an agreement, which can take months or even years.

At a time when young people are protesting for the climate, we know that the question of the kerosene tax is extremely relevant for the future. Therefore, we do not want to be bound by an agreement that explicitly prohibits any form of tax on kerosene.

When voting on this bill, our group will abstain, as we, like colleague Dallemagne, have determined that the agreement shuts down the possibility of imposing a kerosene tax. We did not vote against it, as the negotiations resulting in the agreement were closed before the possibility of providing for a kerosene tax for intra-European flights was opened at European level.

We also communicated our abstention to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Our abstinence should be understood as a signal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. If aviation agreements are submitted to the House in the future, our group will vote against each of those agreements, unless the possibility of imposing a kerosene tax is provided, ⁇ for short-haul flights within the European Union.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that, for this text and the following, we have signed our agreement. However, let us hear, it is clear that we are the first to show ourselves in favour of an international agreement – at least, at European level; ideally, at global level – imposing a tax on kerosene, since it is explicitly prohibited by international treaties since 1948. We will do everything we can to ensure that this taxation comes into effect.

Mr. Speaker, I am not fooling: it is interesting to surf on the waves.

The problem lies in the fact that the readings that are done are not correct. First, this agreement dates from 2012. Second, nothing in the agreement prevents the taxation on kerosene. This is a false interpretation, which I regret a little.

The Minister apparently did not read the agreement. The latter explicitly provides for the prohibition of any tax on kerosene. This is stated in Article 12.4 of the said Agreement.

We are asking that this agreement be applied to what was applied to the agreement on Qatar. It explicitly stipulates that in the event of an agreement on the taxation of kerosene, such taxation may automatically be applied. The problem here is that it will need to be renegotiated. And the Minister has already warned us that Australia is very rough. From the moment we are bound by this agreement, we will not be able to separate ourselves. This is what is problematic.

I am in favour of such taxation. When this happens, it will obviously have an impact on all bilateral relations and agreements.