EP Committee on Environment denies prospects for domestic biofuels

In Germany, UFOP published a letter expressing its disappointment in the result of the vote in the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment on Monday this week concerning the reform of the biofuel policy for the period from 2020 to 2030 (RED II). UFOP said that as a result of the decision, biofuels made from cultivated biomass are to be completely phased out by 2030. At the same time, iLUC factors are to be introduced for calculating the greenhouse gas balance as of 2021. UFOP said there would be very serious consequences for European rapeseed cultivation. Biodiesel made from rapeseed oil could no longer be sold on the market as of 2021.

From UFOP’s perspective, iLUC factors addresses the problems surrounding palm oil and deforestation. However, they primarily concern European rapeseed cultivation. This is due to the fact that from the 11 million tons of EU-biodiesel an average of 6.5 million tons was produced of European rapeseed oil. The decision of the Committee on Environment therefore specifically affects European rapeseed producers.