http://ens-news.com/ens/jun2002/2002-06-10-02.asp
ens
EU Energy Ministers Dilute Biofuels Measure
BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 10, 2002 (ENS) - European Union energy
ministers have scaled back the first part of a European Commission
plan to increase the use of agricultural biofuels in transport as a
means of combating climate change.
Meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, the council said proposed
minimum targets for achieving market penetration should be indicative
and optional rather than mandatory.
The Commission's target for biofuels to make up two percent of
transport fuel sold by 2005 and 5.75 percent by 2010 remains intact
in the agreement, which is still provisional pending an opinion from
the European Parliament.
Only three countries - Austria, Spain and Italy - supported making
them binding, well short of a blocking minority.
Traffic on England's M4 Motorway (Photo courtesy Freefoto.com)
The Commission said today it is "open" to accepting the compromise
but will wait for the parliament to reach its opinion before
accepting defeat. The parliament's industry committee is leading
consultations and is to vote on the dossier in Strasbourg tonight.
Plugged as a major European Union initiative in the fight against
rising greenhouse gas emissions, the biofuels package has been coolly
received by both environmentalists, who say the climate benefits are
unproven, and conventional oil-based fuel producers, who say it will
not reduce fossil fuel dependence.
"This has been motivated by agricultural support rather than
environmental outcome - and we're pleased that's been appreciated [by
ministers]," campaigner Frazier Goodwin of NGO Transport and
environment told reporters today.
Softer indicative targets might benefit the climate by fostering
development of biofuels from non-agricultural sources such as
forestry waste, Goodwin said.
Tax incentives to encourage biofuel use met a warmer reception.
Unanimous agreement was reached in principle on the second part of
the package, introducing tax breaks for biofuels.
The text is "not too different" from the Commission's original
proposal, according to one EU official, but final adoption has been
blocked by the UK in retaliation for France's decision last week to
oppose an EU energy tax just ahead of domestic parliamentary
elections.
France is the strongest supporter of fiscal aids for biofuels. Both
items are on the agenda of next week's council of finance ministers.
In other items treated at last week's council, held jointly with
industry ministers, governments rubber-stamped an agreement to
improve energy efficiency in buildings, adopted a resolution on
sustainable development, and approved a new set of EU guidelines on
state aid to the coal industry.
{Published in cooperation with ENDS Environment Daily, Europe's
choice for environmental news. Environmental Data Services Ltd,
London. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Free $5 Love Reading
Risk Free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/3PCXaC/PfREAA/Ey.GAA/9bTolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Biofuels at Journey to Forever
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
Biofuel at WebConX
http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm
List messages are archived at the Info-Archive at NNYTech:
http://archive.nnytech.net/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
