Aviation will become a part of the EU’s emission trading system (EU ETS) as of 1. January 2012. Accordingly, the Commission has published the benchmark values for the aviation industry. The benchmark values will be used to allocate greenhouse gas emission allowances free of charge to more than 900 aircraft operators.
With the benchmark values aircraft operators now have certainty regarding how many allowances they will receive for free annually until 2020.

One benchmark has been calculated for the trading period in 2012 and another for the trading period starting in January 2013. The benchmark values are as follows:
In 2012 an airline will receive 0.6797 allowances per 1,000 tonne-kilometres
 In 2013 to 2020 an airline will receive 0.6422 allowances per 1,000 tonne-kilometres

The Environment Agency of Iceland will calculate and publish the number of free allowances allocated to each aircraft operator before the end of 2011. All calculations will be based on the above mentioned benchmark values.