Nine leading European aviation firms, including Airbus, British Airways and Air France, have written to French, British, German and Spanish leaders to protest about the new European Union (EU) carbon tax, a press release said on Monday.

In the joint letters to EU leaders, the heads of top European airlines and engine makers said that their sector is "now faced with real concrete action with serious consequences on the European aviation business."

The CEOs warned leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Spain that "countermeasures and restrictions on European airlines are in preparation" in countries opposing the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

The ETS system requires all airlines flying in EU airspace to pay 15 percent of their polluting carbon emissions for 2012, a charge which they will not have to settle until 2013.

Under the tax scheme, it is estimated that around 4,000 airlines will pay the EU for pollution permits.

The EU's decision has triggered widespread opposition from many governments. A total of 29 countries signed a joint declaration in Moscow on February 22 to oppose the carbon tax plan.

Worrying about the consequences of the countermeasures outside Europe, "The nine CEOs fully expect the list of suspensions, cancellations and punitive actions to grow as other important markets continue to oppose ETS," Airbus underlined, which is "a situation that Europe can ill-afford in the current economic climate."

The nine signatories of the joint letter included the heads of Airbus, Air Berlin, Air France, British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa, MTU Aero Engines, Safran and Virgin Atlantic.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2012)