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P 131436Z FEB 07
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UNCLAS ROME 000304 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON EUN IT SENV
SUBJECT: EU AVIATION EMISSIONS DRAFT PROPOSAL--GOI VIEWS 
 
REF: A. STATE 04858 
 
     ¶B. 06 STATE 190254 
     ¶C. 06 STATE 188369 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) GOI representatives report a strong interest within 
the EU and among the GOI technical authorities to have new EU 
legislation addressing environmental pollution generally, and 
aviation emissions specifically.  From their comments, it 
seems that neither the GOI nor the EU have determined a final 
position on the content/substance of the regulations. For 
this reason, post believes that USG can continue to influence 
the aviation emissions debate.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) EconOffs met with Achille Vinci Giacchi, Diplomatic 
Advisor to the Ministry of Transport, on January 30.  He was 
confident that there was enough time remaining to reach a 
solution satisfying to both pro- and anti-emissions groups 
before any EU regulations are enacted.  He stated that 
Italy's technical aviation authorities (ENAC--Italy's 
aviation authority) will raise the matter within the ICAO 
context and may find a solution there. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Vinci Giacchi also thought that since larger 
environmental control issues were more difficult to resolve, 
some EU members sought to use aviation emissions as a way to 
push the environmental agenda.  With greater USG flexibility 
on environmental issues generally, he said, the EU might be 
less aggressive in its aviation emissions control efforts. 
He noted that the date for international carrier compliance 
with proposed EU aviation standards was still under 
discussion, and that the EU might decide to extend the date 
so far into the future that such regulation would be 
meaningless. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) A/ECMIN also met with Massimo Gajani, Diplomatic 
Advisor to the Ministry of EU Affairs, on February 9.  Gajani 
mentioned that environmental issues are a high priority in 
the EU now; he believes that the proposed EU aviation 
emissions regulation is a strategy to establish the EU as an 
international leader on environmental policy.  With many EU 
and non-EU competing policy interests, including both 
competition and environmental, Gajani thought that ultimately 
heads of EU member states may need to decide the final form 
of any aviation emissions regulation. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Gajani mentioned that he and Vinci Giacchi will 
write the GOI position paper on aviation emissions regulation 
to be submitted to the EU.  Gajani stated that they will bear 
in mind USG views when preparing the position paper. 
Ultimately, he said, the EU and the U.S. must work together. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶6.  (SBU) Neither Gajani nor Vinci Giacchi could be drawn out 
on whether or not the GOI supports the proposed EU 
regulation.  While Vinci Giacchi mentioned, in passing, a 
possible ICAO role in deciding on an aviation emissions 
regulation, both our interlocutors seemed to prefer 
EU-drafted regulations. That said, both hinted at 
disagreement both within the EU and the GOI on the means and 
timetable for addressing aviation emissions.  For this 
reason, Post believes that the USG can continue to influence 
the aviation emissions discussion in Europe in both Brussels 
and Italy.  END COMMENT. 
SPOGLI