Ministers seal a modest reform of EU biofuels policy
Energy ministers today finally agreed to change the EU’s biofuels policy. After more than a year of talks, the Energy Council says it wants to limit the amount of food-based biofuels to 7% of petrol and diesel sold [1]. Without policy change, around 8.6% would likely come from such biofuels; the Commission proposed a stricter limit of 5%. The deal also further weakens the reporting of biofuels emissions resulting from indirect land-use change (ILUC) [2].
By not mandating the full accounting of indirect emissions caused by displacing food with fuel crops, biofuels that emit more CO2 than conventional diesel or petrol can still count towards meeting the 7% target [3].
Reacting to the decision, T&E’s clean fuels officer, Pietro Caloprisco, said: “With this modest reform, Europe puts a lid on biofuels that emit more CO2 than the fossil fuels they are meant to replace. While it recognises that many biofuels cause indirect emissions, it fails to ensure full carbon accounting and kick-start cleaner fuels.”
The ministers’ text does require member states to set a sub-target for advanced biofuels, with 0.5% as a so-called ‘reference value’. However, countries can also set a lower target if they can explain why.
Ahead of the Council meeting, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia issued a joint declaration that they would not support a lowering of the cap below 7% in negations with the Parliament.
“It is disappointing that some countries have signaled their reluctance to even discuss the 7% cap with the Parliament,” Pietro Caloprisco added. “We encourage the Italian presidency not to ignore the calls from several other member states to improve the text during the upcoming negotiations.”
Now, the European Parliament and the Commission will discuss the Council’s agreement in second-reading negotiations with the possibility of the legislation being passed by the end of this year.
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