[Norway] New flight tax in support of fight against poverty

from The Norway Post

The Norwegian government has decided to introduce a new tax on air travel which will be airmarked to help finance the UN's fight against poverty and epidemics. The airlines protest.

The new tax will be introduced in the proposal for the National Budget for 2007.

Norway has followed the lead of France, which has decided to introduce an raordinary tax on air tickets from July 1st.

The Norwegian government has not yet decided how the new tax will be levied, how high it will be, or how it will be earmarked.

The French tax will make the cost of air travels increase by from one to 40 Euro, depending on distance and class.

The new tax has been met with protests from both airlines and the Confederation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises (HSH).

SAS Braathen information director Siv Meisingseth says this is a tax that the government ought to make a part of the national budget or finance through the ordinary personal taxes.

- We find it unreasonable that a particular industry be taxed in order to enable the government to help solve international problems, she says.