newstodate.aero
Sep 02, 2013 (newstodate): According to the agreement reached in 2006 between Russia and EU, levying overflight charges on EU airlines en-route via Siberian airspace will be discontinued as from January 1, 2014.
But - will the agreement take effect? Hardly.
The mechanism, introduced by the Soviet regime, generates an estimated 200 mio USD annually in charges collected by Aeroflot.
But recent signs are that Russia now sees the issue of the overflight charges connected to the EU Emission Trading System and will not abrogate the overflight charges as earlier agreed. They will instead be collected by another state organ after the turn of the year.
In 2006, the EU commission negotiated an agreement with Russia to freeze overflight charges from 2010 and fully abolishing them by 2013 through a gradual process.
Since then, the Russian state has however refused to ratify the agreement, which runs counter also to the preconditions for admitting WTO membership to Russia.
But - will the agreement take effect? Hardly.
The mechanism, introduced by the Soviet regime, generates an estimated 200 mio USD annually in charges collected by Aeroflot.
But recent signs are that Russia now sees the issue of the overflight charges connected to the EU Emission Trading System and will not abrogate the overflight charges as earlier agreed. They will instead be collected by another state organ after the turn of the year.
In 2006, the EU commission negotiated an agreement with Russia to freeze overflight charges from 2010 and fully abolishing them by 2013 through a gradual process.
Since then, the Russian state has however refused to ratify the agreement, which runs counter also to the preconditions for admitting WTO membership to Russia.