Airports Council International Europe (ACI) has criticised the introduction of Norway’s new aviation tax, calling it “short-sighted”, and warning that it “ignores the economic and wider strategic benefits of air transport”.
The tax – which comes into effect this week – sees a NOK80 (€8.59) charge made to passengers departing on domestic and international flights from Norway.
In a statement ACI said:
“ACI Europe views the introduction of this new tax as a worrying development. It is short-sighted, as it ignores the economic and wider strategic benefits of air transport – the loss of which will significantly outweigh any short–term gains for the Treasury.”
The statement also said that “A recent study found that Norwegian airports and associated aviation activity had a wider stimulating effect on the Norwegian economy, equivalent to over €8.3 billion of GDP each year, supporting 60,000 jobs”.
ACI added when “direct, indirect and induced economic impact which this aviation activity also supports” were also taken into account, the aviation industry “supports 4 per cent of Norway’s economy”.
The airports council also warned that “Other countries such as Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands have all toyed with this kind of tax before and eventually repealed it”.
“They did so acknowledging that taxing air transport directly hurts economic performance, and ultimately the State’s ability to collect wider tax revenues.”
Low-cost carrier has already said it plans to close its Oslo Rygge base, with a loss of 16 routes, and to reduce its Norwegian traffic by 50 per cent as a result of the “environmentally unfriendly” new tax.
The airline will also switch its Stansted-Oslo Rygge route (and daily flights from Vilnius to Oslo Rygge) to Oslo Gardermoen, where it says it can avail of a low-cost airport agreement.
Eight remaining Norway routes will be switched to Oslo Torp, as “Oslo Rygge has confirmed it will be unable to sustain reduced non-based services offered by Ryanair”.
You have finally done it, decided to visit Norway. Now the fun of planning for your trip begins. Today’s traveler has access to a wide array of websites to help with that planning. No matter what you are looking for you are sure to find it on one of these sites.
Norway started a four-week deployment in support of NATO’s mission of air surveillance and interception capabilities in Iceland, NATO’s Allied Command Operation said Thursday.
Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Tore Hattrem during his visit to Sri Lanka met Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama at his ministry with the Norwegian delegation.
A delegation of Norwegian members of the Nordic Women Mediators’ Network visited Cyprus from 26-31 May 2016, meeting UN officials, the bicommunal Technical Committee on Gender Equality, civil society and other gender stakeholders.
Norway’s State Secretary Tore Hattrem ( Conservative Party ) visited the Norwegian funded UNDP programme in Jaffna today (01).
Lithuania is to hold talks with Norway on procuring the Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System.
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund should encourage companies within its portfolio to be more transparent about their tax affairs, according to the country’s Parliament.
Russian naval presence in the North Atlantic and High North areas is beginning to bring about the revisited notion of collective defence in the maritime domain, according to Norwegian State Secretary for Defense Oystein Bø.
A young Myanmar man will be representing his country and his region in Oslo, Norway in December, thanks to his eloquence and debating skills.
Recycling company GreenTech will carry out a EUR 2.3 million project to improve recyclable waste collecting in 23 cities in Romania. The Norwegian Government has co-financed the project with EUR 1 million.
Foreign workers are leaving Norway like never before, new figures from Statistic Norway (SSB) show.
Norway’s Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Tore Hattrem, who is on an official visit to Sri Lanka, met Northern Province Governor Reginald Cooray today at the Governor’s office for a special discussion.
Russia is extending its ban on imports of food from the EU and other countries through the end of 2017, with exceptions for meat and vegetables for baby food.
Norway’s Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary says it is very important for the displaced people in Sri Lanka’s north to return to their original places and re- establish their lives and therefore, the Norwegian Government has decided to financially support the war-affected people in North to re-start the livelihood activities and promote the resettlement process.
The Norwegian government said on Tuesday it would present a bill to parliament in the first part of June proposing the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products in the Nordic country.
‘Norway is deeply concerned about the rising number of allegations against UN personnel concerning sexual exploitation and abuse. In 2015, 99 allegations were received, as compared with 80 in 2014. Norway shares the Secretary-General’s distress at these despicable crimes, and we commend his determination to stop this scourge through a robust programme of action,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.
HMCS Windsor is heading across the Atlantic to take part in multinational exercises in waters off Norway.
Cyberhawk Innovations, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and drone inspection and survey specialist, has signed a partnership agreement Norwegian UAV operator Nordic Unmanned.
Indonesia President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende on Tuesday to discuss the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries, including by cooperating together in several sectors such as the environment and the fisheries.