The European Union will maintain its carbon tax imposed on airlines operating in its airspace, the Danish climate minister said, despite a freeze in purchases of Airbus aircraft by China.

As long as an international policy on carbon emissions on airlines does not exist, the "EU will stick to its own ETS system", Martin Lidegaard said on Friday. Denmark currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

The EU carbon tax imposed on airlines came into effect on Jan 1, but carriers will begin receiving bills only in 2013 after this year's carbon emissions have been assessed.