Committee vote signals EU lawmaker divide on crop-based biofuels

An EU proposal to phase out crop-based biofuels by 2030 is set to split EU lawmakers in a parliamentary vote next month after the EU transport committee rejected a bill that would seek the ban.

On Thursday, the Transport Committee (TRAN) chose not to back the RED II bill as amended, which sought to scale down crop-based biofuels in transportation from 7% in 2021 to 0% by 2030 while scale up the overall share of renewable energy in the EU mix to 35% by 2030 and also set mandatory national targets.

While the transport committee only has an advisory role and as such will not impact a full parliamentary vote next month, lobbyists said it signals that the full parliament is divided.

Raffaello Garofalo, secretary general of lobby group the European Biodiesel Board said: “Today’s vote is contradictory and reflects the fragile position adopted in the (environment) committee opinion. It clearly demonstrates the Parliament’s division on the overall file.”

Next stop for the bill will be a plenary vote in the full parliament in December.

If the parliament agrees with the environment committee then it will have to broker a compromise with the EU Commission, which favours a 3.8% cap, and the EU Council of ministers, which supports a cap of 7%.