European Union (EU) finance ministers asked the EU executive European Commission on Tuesday to prepare a study on a voluntary tax on airline tickets in the 25-nation bloc that would fund extra development aid.

This is the second request from the finance ministers for such a study from the Commission as the EU executive defied the first request last week because of opposition from at least 10 commissioners.

"The Commission refused to do it, but we asked them again," French Finance Minister Thierry Breton said at the margin of the EU finance ministers' monthly meeting.

EU finance ministers on May 14 agreed in principle to levy a tax on airplane tickets. The tax would be compulsory in some countries such as Belgium, France and Germany while other countries such as Malta, Cyprus and Ireland would give passengers the choice of paying the tax.

The voluntary levy on airline tickets, however, has drawn criticism from Austria, the Netherlands and holiday destinations Italy and Greece as well as airlines.

Source: Xinhua