Europe’s Industrial Ethanol Association calls for closing of EU customs loopholes

In Germany, the head of the Industrial Ethanol Association (IEA) repeated its call for the European Commission to close customs loopholes which give heavily-subsidised ethanol producers in countries like Brazil, Pakistan and Ukraine carte blanche to import their product into the EU without paying customs duties.

The IEA said that “the European Commission is turning a blind eye to customs irregularities in order to meet biofuels and greenhouse gas reduction targets, jeopardizing the European industrial ethanol and biofuels industries.

Ian Kersey, IEA Chairman said “The Commission must intervene to close these loopholes and achieve a level playing field for the European ethanol industry”.

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