European Biodiesel Board welcomes EU discussions to cut biofuel fraud

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB) has welcomed the recognition of the importance of combating Annex IX biofuels fraud and the fact that the Committee on the Sustainability of Biofuels, Bioliquids and Biomass fuels is discussing concrete measures to address it.
The EBB considers fraud an existential threat for our industry for the functioning of sustainability verification and for the EU’s climate ambitions.
The EU industry remains committed to high standards and full compliance with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) sustainability criteria.
The EBB said it stood ready to contribute to decisive measures that will enhance the credibility of sustainability verification and protect the European producers from unfair competition.
To that effect, the EBB has already published a detailed proposal that includes detailed amendments to EU rules that can be implemented immediately.
In EBB’s verification system, there is an important role for voluntary schemes – by far the largest being the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) – and certification bodies.
The Secretary General of the European Biodiesel Board (EBB), Xavier Noyon, said compliance with the criteria laid out in the RED is an essential prerequisite for biofuels to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gasses in EU transport.
He said: “While the exact nature of the proposed solutions remains unclear, the EU industry appreciates the renewed ambition of EU legislators to tackle the issue. We need a systemic reform of the set verification rules that will guarantee that biofuels are compliant with Renewable Energy Directive (RED) criteria and restore the level playing field between producers in- and outside the EU.”