France and Spain lead efforts to tax private jets

The two European nations – along with Kenya, Benin, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Barbados plus Antigua and Barbuda – launched a coalition at a UN conference on development financing in Seville to tighten up taxation of the aviation sector, including the prospect of taxes on private jets and passengers travelling in business or first class.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the coalition would “work toward a greater contribution from the aviation sector” to improve “climate resilience”.

In a statement, France's Élysée palace confirmed this initiative, specifying that it aims to “improve the mobilisation of national revenues in developing countries and support international solidarity,” with particular emphasis on adapting to climate change.

The coalition’s goal is “to increase the number of countries applying taxes on airline tickets, including for luxury travel, and to tax private jets based on best practices,” the Élysée’s statement continued, while ensuring “further progress in countries that already have such levies.”

The announcement was welcomed by Greenpeace, which urged “all countries to join and implement the commitments” made by this “new solidarity coalition” in time for COP30, which will be held in November in Belem, Brazil.

“Flying is the most elitist and polluting form of travel, so this is an important step toward ensuring heavy users of this undertaxed sector pay their fair share,” insisted Rebecca Newsom, head of Greenpeace's “Stop Drilling, Start Paying” campaign.

At COP28 in 2023, Barbados, France, and Kenya launched a working group, with the support of the European Commission, to consider so-called “global solidarity” levies on polluting sectors such as fossil fuels and aviation.

This group, which has since worked on the introduction of specific taxes on private jets and airline tickets, estimated in a report published on June 19th that these measures could “generate substantial revenues” of up to €187 billion.

France already levies an 'eco tax' on airline tickets, which is charged on a sliding scale with higher rates for first class tickets and private jets.