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If the Council of States Commission on the Environment has its way, users of “small” private jets like the PC-24 will benefit from the COtwo– Exempt from taxes. Image: Pilatus Aircraft Ltd
“We are speechless”: 250,000 flights by private pilots should not pay any climate tax
Passengers on scheduled and charter flights will soon have to pay an environmental tax. Amateur pilots, however, do not. Under CVP’s leadership, the Council of States is planning additional exceptions, from which the Pilatus PC-24 will benefit in particular. The climate strikers are dismayed.
Flying is a climate killer and therefore should be more expensive for the average Otto consumer. If Parliament has its way, passengers on scheduled and charter flights will pay an additional 30 to 130 francs in the future through a tax on airline tickets. This depends on the distance of the flight and the class of travel.
But if you fly in a small private plane, you shouldn’t have to pay any weather taxes. The National Council wants all the planes that less than 5700 kilos They are exempt from the climate tax. That would be last year 230’000 Privatflieger-Starts of strict climate protection measures not affected as reported by Tamedia.
However, this is not enough for the preliminary environmental commission of the Council of States (Urek). You want to increase the lower weight limit to exactly 8,618 kilograms. With this “Lex Pilatus”, the flagship of the aircraft manufacturer Stans would also be exempt from the tax. Because the Pilatus PC-24 weighs around 8,300 kilos.
Bourgeois for “Lex Pilatus”
As Tamedia reports, Pilatus had lobbied intensely for this solution and warned in a letter to the Council of States of “reduced competitiveness” for the “particularly energy efficient” jet. Although the aircraft manufacturer sells most of the aircraft abroad.
In particular, CVP councilors such as Pirmin Bischof had campaigned for “Lex Pilatus.” This despite the fact that the CVP had declared that climate protection was one of its main issues before the elections. The agreement was highly controversial in the Commission. According to the newspaper, it took a casting vote from Commission President Martin Schmid (FDP) to help make way for easing.
In a statement to Watson, the Swiss climate strike was appalled at the relaxation. “We are speechless before this inhumane climate policy. While the bigwigs, who are primarily responsible for the climate crisis, can continue to fly around the world in their private jets without restrictions, it will be more expensive for everyone else. ”This policy is strange and terrifying.
The PC-24 also flies for the Swiss Air Force. Image: Pilatus Aircraft Ltd
Loss of millions due to higher weight limits
The increase in the weight limit would have economic consequences: instead of 18,300 departures per year, only a maximum of 15,300 departures would be affected by the climate tax, according to documents from the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Depending on the weight class, they would have to pay between 500 and 5000 francs of environmental tax. Instead of 9 million francs, this solution would only add 7.5 million. Half of the income would flow to the climate fund, the other half would be redistributed to the economy and households.
On Monday afternoon it will be shown whether the Council of States will follow the preliminary advisory commission to facilitate private aviation. Then the small chamber debates the COtwo-Act defining the climate policy of Switzerland until 2030.
Either way, the climate strike gathers in the last week of the session in Bern for “massive civil disobedience” to protest against the climate policy of the federal government.
(amu)
