Seven leading European aviation companies have written to political leaders complaining about a recently introduced EU carbon tax.

欧洲七家主要航空公司向领导人致信抱怨烟尘排放税的征收。

The signatories, which include Airbus, British Airways¹ and Virgin² Atlantic, argue that the pollution levy³（征税） threatens jobs and trade.

They are concerned about trade-related retaliation⁴（报复，反击） by countries not complying with the Emissions⁵ Trading Scheme (ETS).

China and the US both oppose the tax.

"The measure is threatening more than 1,000 jobs (at Airbus) and another thousand through the supply chain," Airbus CEO Thomas Enders is quoted as saying.

The boss of EADS, the parent company of Airbus, Louis Gallois last week told reporters that China had suspended the purchase of planes made by European manufacturers because of the levy.

"The ETS issue... is turning into a trade conflict," an Airbus spokesman told the Financial Times.

'Compromise'

In a draft of the letter seen by the BBC, the companies urge politicians to pursue a 'compromise solution... which will mitigate⁶（减轻，缓和） third-country concerns whilst protecting the environmental integrity of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme'.

They believe that the proposals should be put on hold until a global plan for carbon emissions is agreed.

"Trying to impose a scheme on flights outside of Europe risks retaliatory⁷ action against EU airlines and EU trade at a time when the European economy is under severe pressure," a spokesperson from BA said in a statement.

"The amount of resistance to the EU's plans shows that the European Commission needs a Plan B in case there is retaliatory action," the statement goes on to say.

The European Union has gone it alone with its Emissions Trading System which levies⁸ a charge on flights in EU airspace based on carbon emissions.

The opposition⁹ campaign is being led by Airbus and has the support of the chief executives of British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Air France, Air Berlin and Iberia.

Letters have been sent to leaders including Britain's David Cameron, Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Francois Fillon.