02.04.2018

The implementation of ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) was the main topic of discussion, at the three-day CORSIA Regional Seminar, held in Skopje, organized by the ICAO and the Civil Aviation Agency of the Republic of Macedonia.

About 120 representatives from over 55 countries in the world took part at the said Seminar, being an event of extraordinary interest both for the Macedonian civil aviation and for aviation industry in Europe and the region.

Mr. Henrik Hololei, Director General for Transport, European Commission and Mr. Eamonn Brennan, Director General of EUROCONTROL honoured the participants with their presence at this CORSIA Regional Seminar.

Assessing the ICAO CORSIA Regional Seminar as a very successful one, the Chief of the Environmental Unit in ICAO’s Air Transport Bureau and the Secretary of ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), Ms. Jane Hupe, expressed her sincere gratitude to the Civil Aviation Agency of the Republic of Macedonia for its professional organization, noting that the “successful implementation of CORSIA relies on all States having a solid understanding of its specific requirements as well as the necessary capacity and tools for its implementation.

This year’s series of regional seminars builds on the previous ones but their timing coincides with preparations that States need to make to ensure that they can start implementation of CORSIA in 2019.

On 1 January 2019, all States must ensure that their aeroplane operator are ready to start monitoring their CO2 emissions from all international flights. I would like to emphasize that this applies to all States that have operators with international flights irrespective of a State’s decision to voluntary participate in the CORSIA. I believe that as our participants leave Skopje they have a better understanding of the MRV provisions of the draft CORSIA SARPs, as well as of the required actions and related responsibilities of all stakeholders involved.”

It is worth mentioning that the domestic aviation institutions are being prepared, as the other ICAO Contracting Parties, in order to comply with the requirements for implementation of the CORSIA, as at the beginning of the next year.

According to the Director General of the Civil Aviation Agency, Mr. Goran Jandreoski, the formula for calculation of carbon emission is very complex having in mind that it covers both civil and military aircraft.

“There are more than 300 000 flights over the Macedonian territory for which the aircraft types are known. It comes to a procedure in which the airlines will be under great pressure and challenge due to the fact that they must achieve certain target set by the industry, thus they should work to improve their fleets, their engines to reduce emission and in such way the space for research of all manufacturers of aircraft and engines would increase”, Mr. Jandreoski said, pointing out that the new system would not be at the expense of the passengers but at the industries directly involved in the air transport.

ICAO Regional Seminar on CORSIA was opened by the Minister of Transport and Communications within the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Goran Sugareski.