30.4.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 129/1 (Legislative acts) REGULATIONS REGULATION (EU) No 421/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community, in view of the implementation by 2020 of an international agreement applying a single global market-based measure to international aviation emissions (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (), Whereas: (1) The aviation sector has a strong international character. A global approach to addressing emissions from interna- tional aviation offers the best prospects for ensuring sustainability in the long term. (2)  The Union is endeavouring to secure a future international agreement to control greenhouse gas emissions from aviation and, in the meantime, is limiting climate change impacts from aviation activities to and from aerodromes in the Union, by autonomous action. In order to ensure that those objectives are mutually supportive and not in conflict, it is appropriate to take account of developments at, and positions taken in, international fora and in particular to take account of the resolution containing the ‘Consolidated statement of continuing ICAO policies and practices related to environmental protection’ adopted on 4 October 2013 at the 38th Session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). (3)  Consequently, in order to sustain the momentum reached at the 38th Session of the ICAO Assembly in 2013 and facilitate progress at the upcoming 39th Session in 2016, it is desirable to temporarily consider the require- ments set out in Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council () to be satisfied for the period until 31 December 2016 in respect of flights to and from aerodromes in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). In doing so, the Union emphasises that legal requirements can be applied in respect of flights to and from aerodromes located in States of the EEA, in the same manner as legal requirements can be applied in respect of the emissions from flights between such aerodromes. In order to ensure legal certainty, for the purposes of this derogation, flights between aerodromes located in States of the EEA and aerodromes located in countries that acceded to the Union in 2013 should be considered to be flights between States of the EEA. (*) Opinion adopted on 22 January 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (}) Position of the European Parliament of 3 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 14 April 2014. () Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emis- sion allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (O] L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).