The European Parliament adopted by 552 votes to 126, wy 21 abstentions, a legislative resolution on Committee on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources.
Parliament adopted its position at first reading according to the ordinary legislative which amended the Commission’s proposal as follows:
Objectives of the Directive and the inclusion of the ILUC (indirect land-use change) factor: Parliament considers it necessary to take into account the impact of indirect land-use change (ILUC) on greenhouse gas emissions and to adopt appropriate measures to address that impact, while taking necessary measures to provide certainty for investment and to protect investments already made.
The Directive should have as its objectives: (i) ensuring a single market for fuel for the transport sector; (ii) ensuring that minimum levels of environmental protection are respected; and (iii) avoid adverse effects of the production and utilisation of biofuels on food security and on land use.
First generation biofuels: to prepare for the transition to advanced biofuels and to reduce to a minimum the global impact on ILUC in the period up to 2020, it is appropriate to limit volumes of biofuels and bioliquids obtained from food and energy crops that can be counted towards targets set out in Directive 2009/28/EC and Directive 98/70/EC.
According to Members, the share of biofuels and bioliquids derived from cereals and other starch rich crops, sugars and oil crops cultivated that can be counted towards the targets of Directive 2009/28/EC should be limited to 6% of the final consumption of energy in transport in 2020 (the Commission had initially proposed a limit of 5%).
The resolution highlights the following:
- each Member State shall ensure that the share of energy from renewable sources in petrol in 2020 is at least 7.5% of the final consumption of energy in petrol in that Member State;
- in 2016, at least 0.5% of the final consumption of energy in transport shall be met with energy from advanced biofuels;
- in 2020, at least 2.5% of the final consumption of energy in transport shall be met with energy from advanced biofuels.
Fuels: Member States should require suppliers to ensure the placing on the market of petrol with a maximum oxygen content of 2.7 % and a maximum ethanol content of 5 % until the end of 2018. Consumers should receive the appropriate information directly at the fuel filler pump. In this respect, the marking recommendations of EN228: 2012 should be followed at all fuel filling stations across the Union.
When the percentage of Fatty-acid methyl ester (FAME) blended in diesel exceeds 7% by volume, Member States shall ensure the provision of appropriate information concerning the FAME content to consumers directly at the fuel filler pump.
Verification of the compliance of the sustainability criteria: Parliament requests that by one year after the date on which this Directive enters into force, the Commission should make recommendations for additional measures that Member State may take to promote and encourage energy efficiency and energy saving in transport. The recommendations should include estimates of the quantity of energy that can be saved by implementing each of those measures.
In addition, Eurostat should gather and publish: (i) detailed trade related information on biofuels produced from food crops, such as those based on cereals and other starch rich crops, sugars and oil crops; (ii) employment information on the numbers, duration and salaries associated with direct, indirect and induced employment generated by the Union's biofuels industry.
The Union should endeavour to conclude bilateral or multilateral agreements with third countries containing mandatory commitments on provisions on sustainability criteria that correspond to those of this Directive.
Review: the Commission shall, before 31 December 2017, submit a report reviewing the effectiveness of the measures introduced by this Directive in limiting indirect land-use change greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of biofuels and bioliquids.
Parliament calls for the report to include a review of the effectiveness of the incentives provided for biofuels from non-land using feedstocks and non-food crops. It should: (i) include an assessment of the availability of such biofuels and of their environmental, economic and social impacts; (ii) assess, inter alia, the impact of biofuel production on the availability of wood as a resource and on sectors using biomass.
The report shall, if appropriate, be accompanied by a legislative proposal for establishing appropriate sustainability criteria for biofuels from non-land using feedstocks and non-food crops.