Brussels, 29 June 2022 - FEDIOL welcomes the Council’s decision to maintain the Commission’s approach on crop-based biofuels, which are an available and cost- effective means to decarbonise transport in the EU and reduce fossil fuel imports

FEDIOL welcomes the Council General Approach on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) as it acknowledges the important contribution of crop-based biofuels to the EU renewable energy transport target by maintaining the already assessed 7% cap.

Crop-based biofuels are an immediate and cost-effective tool to reduce emissions of existing and future light and heavy-duty vehicles. They replace fossil fuels and thereby allow the EU to reduce its dependence on fossil fuel imports. Furthermore, according to the European Environmental Agency, the greenhouse gas emissions reduction savings of biofuels consumed in Europe already significantly exceed the minimum 50% savings threshold compared to fossil fuels.

Lowering the contribution of crop-based biofuels to the RED III transport targets would have negative consequences for the environment and for consumers, as it would lead to more fossil fuel imports and consumption in the EU, higher and more volatile energy prices due to the rising cost of fossil fuels, and reduced ambition in the real reduction of GHG emissions in the transport sector.

Furthermore, maintaining biofuel production allows for available feedstocks to be immediately redirected to food production in times of food crises as has been done by the industry in response to the market situation due to the war in Ukraine. Without or with less crop-based biofuels, there would be lower demand for crop production and therefore reduced availability of commodities to mitigate food crises. Biofuels production also contributes to EU food security by leading to greater availability of EU produced protein- rich feed materials and valuable co-products, such as lecithin and glycerine, which offsets the need to import such commodities.

FEDIOL calls on the ITRE Committee in the EU Parliament to align on such approach towards crop-based biofuels and on the Council to continue defending it in the upcoming trilogue negotiations.