Commission investigates B99 renewal

The European Commission has published a notice detailing the initiation of an investigation into the framework of the B99 expiry review request.

Biofuel producer representatives, The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), supports the Commission’s decision, which will look into the possibility of extending duties on biodiesel imports that come from the US.

The EBB first submitted this ‘B99’ expiry review request in April. EBB asked for a renewal of the anti-dumping and countervailing duties placed on US biodiesel in 2009 through Council Regulation (EC) 599/2009 and Council Regulation (EC) No 598/2009. Current remedies of between €213/tonne to €409/tonne, will remain.

Industry insiders welcome the investigation as a preventative measure for the ongoing distribution of cheap US biodiesel to the EU market, and to ensure an equal global trading system.

Raffaello Garofalo, EBB’s Secretary General, states: ‘The European Commission’s decision confirms that there is still a persistent threat to the EU biodiesel market in place. It is the EU authorities’ duty not to let unfair competition resume and nullify the efforts made over the last years to develop an efficient European biodiesel industry able to compete on the global market.’