In a sponsored-content piece published this week on Politico, the U.S. General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) asserted that the European Union is “squeezing” general aviation and unwittingly threatening Europe’s global economic competitiveness. The association addresses plans by European regulators to raise taxes on business aviation and restrict flights in the name of environmental sustainability.
GAMA calls the strategy “misguided,” citing business aviation as a “vital enabler of the EU’s single market and its four fundamental freedoms.” While the association acknowledges that raising taxes and placing regulatory limits on general aviation flights might appear to be “a clever way to prop up government budgets and address environmental concerns,” it maintains that a more in-depth view would show that such a strategy would backfire.
GAMA said of Europe’s economy, “What is essential now is balancing growth, sustainability and prosperity amid rising international challenges. Ready to contribute is the business aviation industry, which flies where others can’t, generating €100 billion annually, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and accelerating the industry’s decarbonization efforts through use of more sustainable fuels and innovative efficiency improvements.”
GAMA further asserts that the benefits generated by business aviation go beyond the short-term advantages of point-to-point transportation. The Politico piece links to in the “European Business Aviation Manifesto,” published by GAMA together with the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). ”It highlights business aviation’s safety and sustainability-enhancing new technologies that ultimately scale up to commercial airliners.”
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