EBB worried doubtful ILUC science still central to EU policy

Today, the European Parliament voted the Commission proposal on indirect land use change (ILUC). The Parliament vote was very tight and de facto, refusing to give mandate to Ms. Lepage to negotiate with member states, MEPs called for a second reading, hence postponing the final position of this institution to next year, with newly elected MEPs, after May 2014 European scrutiny.

The rather indecisive results seen today show that doubt persists in using a rather young discipline for policy making, said Raffaello Garofalo EBB Secretary General. Europe cannot afford to threaten nearly 220,000 jobs based on simplistic ILUC assumptions.

The European biodiesel industry is contributing to higher sustainability standards and reducing Europe’s reliance on imports of diesel and protein from third countries. To include ILUC factors, even for reporting, would convey the wrong signal to citizens. European regulators should be proud of the commitment of the EU biodiesel industry to promote a greener economy, foster agriculture and support industrial jobs. European biodiesel should set an example for higher standards, not be punished based on inconclusive science, said Garofalo.

Although ILUC factors were introduced in the Fuel Quality Directive, the MEPs adopted with a clear and democratic vote an amendment (Amendment 164, adopted during the 9/11 plenary vote) erasing ILUC factures and figures from the Renewable Energy Directive, which clearly proves how many doubts exist in the Parliament as well on ILUC measuring and ILUC figures proposed by IFPRI and Commissioner Hedegaard.

EBB represents vegetable oil and waste biodiesel producers and calls representatives of member states to ensure a consistent policy to foster investments. On advanced biofuels today, the European Parliament provided a schizophrenic proposal maintaining present double-counting support but excluding used cooking oil and animal fats from the 2.5 percent specific target allocated to advanced biofuels. Waste- and residues-based biodiesel provide up to 95 percent greenhouse gas reduction compared to fossil fuels and it is not justified not to count it among advanced biofuels. Should the European Union be truly committed to reduce CO2 in transport, reliance on effective solution such as biodiesel from waste and residues should be fostered and biodiesel from waste and residues should be included in the advanced subtarget, concluded Garofalo.