Combating biofuel fraud

Protecting the biodiesel industry from threats that come from outside the EU has become almost as important for the biofuels industry as advocating for better policies within the EU.
Around 10 or 15 years was a time when the European Biodiesel Board (EBB) started to make use of EU trade defence instruments, to ensure that trade was not only free but also fair. The EBB used to consider trade cases as an ad-hoc answer to a specific issue.

Times have changed

A quick glance at the list of open EU trade cases will show you that the bloc has opened over 40 cases against China alone, including the EBB’s very own anti-dumping case.
The larger trend shows what all European biodiesel producers – FAME, HVO and SAF alike – already know - trade cases have become a permanent concern, and they are here to stay.
The brand-new Commission is still finding its footing, exploring the balance between ambition and pragmatism, but it has already committed to strengthening Trade Defence Instruments (TDIs) such as anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures to protect EU industries from unfair competition.
That is not only...