LITHUANIA CRITICAL OF EU'S AVIATION EMISSIONS PLANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000087 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017 TAGS: EAIR ECON SENV LH EUN SUBJECT: LITHUANIA CRITICAL OF EU'S AVIATION EMISSIONS PLANS REF: SECSTATE 4858 Classified By: Political-Economic Section Chief Rebecca Dunham for reas ons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Minister of Environment Kundrotas told the Ambassador on January 24 that he was not in favor of the EU's proposal to include aviation emissions in the emissions trading scheme (ETS). He stressed that the EU's proposed scheme would harm Lithuania's plans to expand its air transport sector. Kundrotas said that he was generally unsatisfied with the EU's "stern" campaign to reduce member states' emissions quotas, adding that Lithuania was the only member state to reject categorically the proposed emissions caps. He said that he was disappointed that the EU was trying to deal with Lithuania and the other new member states as "established economies" without taking into account their development strategies. ¶2. (C) Ministry of Transportation Senior Specialist Vilius Veitas told us January 31 that the Ministry of Transportation (MoT) also strongly opposes the EU's proposal on aviation emissions because it would hamper the growth of Lithuania's air transport sector. Veitas said that the MoT prefers to address the issue of aviation emissions within ICAO. He emphasized that subtle changes in the EU's proposal would not suffice to change opinions within the MoT, stressing that the proposal needed changes in principle to get the MoT's support. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: While the GOL has not yet formalized its position on this issue, the two most relevant ministries within the GOL clearly oppose the Commission's plans. Lithuania rarely leads the charge against a measure within the EU, but on this issue it may voice its opposition if it finds like-minded member states. We are encouraging it to do so. KELLY