In Slovakia, the Visegrad 4 (Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and 31 biofuel companies and associations from Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania issued a joint declaration of the new Renewable Energy Directive Recast (RED II) to promote the preservation of crop-based biofuels, a ban in the use of palm oil due to deforestation and GHG emissions, and a ban on feedstock from non-Paris signatory countries. They also asked for a binding target for renewable energy in transportation of a minimum of 12% to 14% by 2030 (not multiple counted).
“We firmly believe that opening the debate on renewable energy in transport after 2020 will bring rational and effective proposals that will be able to meet the defined climate goals. We are sure that the climate goals will not be achieved in the coming decade without the crop-based biofuels, which have already brought significant GHG savings in transport. Therefore, their use shall not be eliminated till 2030,” said Zuzana Jakubičková, Director of Legal and Legislative Affairs of Združenie pre výrobu a využitie biopalív (the Slovak signatory – Association for Production and Use of Biofuels).