Directive on the Promotion of the use of biofuels and other renewable fuels for transport
Encyclopedia
The Directive on the Promotion of the use of biofuels and other renewable fuels for transport, officially 2003/30/EC and popularly better known as the biofuels directive is a European Union directive
European Union directive
A directive is a legislative act of the European Union, which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. It can be distinguished from regulations which are self-executing and do not require any implementing measures. Directives...

 for promoting the use of biofuel
Biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...

s for EU transport. The directive entered into force in May 2003, and stipulates that national measures must be taken by countries across the EU aiming at replacing 5.75% of all transport fossil fuels (petrol and diesel) with biofuels by 2010.

The directive also called for an intermediate target of 2% by 31 December 2005. The target of 5.75% is to be met by 31 December 2010.
The percentages are calculated on the basis of energy content of the fuel and apply to petrol and diesel fuel for transport purposes placed on the markets of member states. Member states are encouraged to take on national "indicative" targets in conformity with the overall target.

On 14 January 2008 the EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas
Stavros Dimas
Stavros Dimas is a Greek politician who was European Commissioner for the Environment from 2004 to 2009. Since November 2011, he has served in the government of Greece as Minister for Foreign Affairs.-Early career:...

 announced the EU is rethinking its biofuel program due to environmental and social concerns and new guidelines must ensure that EU targets are not damaging. The EU official was particularly concerned about the impact of biofuels on rising food prices, rainforest destruction, notably from palm oil
Palm oil
Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...

 production and concern for rich firms driving poor people off their land to convert it to fuel crops. On 18 January 2008 the UK House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee raised similar concerns, and called for a moratorium on biofuel targets. This position echoes the stance of many non-governmental organisations and environmentalists.

Legislation

  • COM(2001) 547, Communication of the European Commission
    European Commission
    The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

     of 7 November 2001 on an Action Plan and two Proposals for Directives to foster the use of Alternative Fuels for Transport, starting with the regulatory and fiscal promotion of biofuels
  • COM(2006) 845, Communication of the European Commission
    European Commission
    The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

     to the Council and the European Parliament: Biofuels Progress Report, that proposes to raise the biofuel target to 10% by 2020.
  • Related legislation:
    • Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity
    • COM(2007)18: Proposal for a Directive amending Fuel Quality Directive 98/70/EC (also called Directive relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels ), as amended by Directive 2003/17/EC: fuel suppliers should reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels from 2011 onward, by 1% year.

Petroleum industry accused of undermining

On 2008-04-29, Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth Europe is the European branch of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International . It includes 30 national organisations and thousands of local groups....

 (FoEE) released a report stating that oil companies are falsely claiming that the target proposed by the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

 in revisions to the Fuel Quality Directive is unachievable.

See also

  • Bioenergy
    Bioenergy
    Bioenergy is renewable energy made available from materials derived from biological sources. Biomass is any organic material which has stored sunlight in the form of chemical energy. As a fuel it may include wood, wood waste, straw, manure, sugarcane, and many other byproducts from a variety of...

  • Food vs fuel
    Food vs fuel
    Food vs. fuel is the dilemma regarding the risk of diverting farmland or crops for biofuels production in detriment of the food supply on a global scale. The "food vs. fuel" or "food or fuel" debate is international in scope, with good and valid arguments on all sides of this issue...

  • Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
    Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
    The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation in the United Kingdom is a requirement on transport fuel suppliers to ensure that 5 percent of all road vehicle fuel is supplied is from sustainable renewable sources by 2010...

     (UK implementation)
  • Energy policy of the European Union
    Energy policy of the European Union
    Although the European Union has legislated in the area of energy policy for many years, and evolved out of the European Coal and Steel Community, the concept of introducing a mandatory and comprehensive European energy policy was only approved at the meeting of the European Council on 27 October...


External links

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