EU confirms 10% biofuel target despite OECD media flap

The European Commission confirmed their commitment to a biofuel policy despite rumblings about a discussion paper leaked from the OECD Round Table on Sustainable Development that was erroneously identified as an official OECD report and caused a media flap this week. The EU has set a 10% minimum biofuels target for 2020, although the Community is committed to maximizing sustainable development of biofuels.

Questions have been raised by Brazil at the WTO about the relationship of energy incentives and agricultural subsidies wioth respect to US trade policy. Europe’s enormous agricultural subsidy budget (over half of EU spending) may come under increasing focus as Europe shifts agricultural focus from food production to fuel production.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

OECD paper says biofuels offer “significant advantages for energy security”

The OECD in an official paper entitled “Special Issue on Climate Change Climate Change Policies: Recent Developments and Long Term Issues” said, “Biofuels may also be used as a repla...

Widely quoted OECD anti-biofuels report turns out to be … not from the OECD

An author of a study produced for the OECD Roundtable on Sustainable Development has posted a clarification on Gristmill regarding the relationship between OECD and the report. He writes: "I was surp...

Spain raises ‘09 biofuels target, confirms ‘10, despite EU slowdown

In Spain, the national government announced that it has set a minimum biofuels content of 3.9 percent in all fuels for 2009, up from 3.4 percent today. The government confirmed that it is confident th...

Tennessee legislature committee OKs $11 million for Genera project, ending communications flap

In Tennessee, the state legislature's Fiscal Review Committee voted 11-1 to approve $11 million for the demonstration cellulosic ethanol project by state university spin-off Genera and Dupont. The pro...

Renewable Fuels Association and European Bioethanol Fuel Association call on OECD to disavow anti-biofuels report

The New York Times mis-attributed a discussion document written by the Chair of the Round Table on Sustainable Development at OECD as "a recent report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation a...

Australian study confirms greenhouse gas emission reductions from biodiesel blends

In Australia, a CSIRO report confirms that the use of B2 biodiesel made from tallow reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5 percent, while the use of B20 results in a 15 percent reduction in greenhous...