European Council confirms crop-based biofuel cut ‘off the table’: spokesperson

Any attempt by European parliamentarians to phase out the use of crop-based biofuels over the next 13 years will face an uphill task as the European Council of Ministers is not expected to pass the amendment.

The Commission proposed to amend the Renewable Energy Directive to cap the use of crop-based biofuels cap at 3.8% by 2030, down from 7%. However, on Monday an influential committee of MEPs passed an amendment that phases out the use of such fuel over the same time period.

In order for the amendment to become law, it must be passed by the full plenary and gain the consent of the European Council.

However, a spokesperson for the European Council told Census Wednesday, that the issue of reducing the cap from 7% would not be entertained by ministers as it was “off the table”.

A panel of experts will meet on Friday and is expected to focus getting agreement on lifting the burden of enhanced reporting, how to protect existing investment in crop-based biofuel production capacity and how to extend that to second and third-generation biofuels, rather than amend the crop-based cap, the spokesperson said.

The fact that the 7% cap was only agreed on in 2015 and member state feedback has indicated that now is not the time to revisit that target, she added.

The Energy Council will meet on December 18 for its next official meeting, which has been held over from its usual schedule in order to accommodate further discussion on the sticking points.

In the event of there being no agreement between key elements of Europe’s institutions, representatives of the Commission, the Parliament and the Council will meet in trialogue discussions to negotiate a common understanding.