German parliament takes decisive action on clean transport and biofuel fraud prevention

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Crops (UFOP) has hailed the German Bundestag’s adoption of RED III as a decisive move to accelerate climate action in transport and restore integrity to the biofuels market.

The legislation raises the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction quota to 65% by 2040 and increases the cap on crop‑based biofuels to 5.8% by 2033, setting a clear long‑term framework for defossilising transport.

UFOP particularly welcomes the retroactive removal of double counting for certain waste‑based biofuels from 1 January 2026 — a measure expected to curb fraud and strengthen trust in sustainability certification. Managing Director Stephan Arens said the change “removes a major incentive for manipulation and reinforces confidence in the system”.

The law also sharpens incentives for renewable electricity in commercial vehicles, while recognising the essential bridging role of liquid biofuels in heavy‑duty transport, agriculture, and forestry. UFOP stresses that biodiesel, HVO and higher blends such as R33 and B30 offer immediate, scalable emissions cuts, alongside the potential introduction of E20 petrol.

UFOP is urging the federal government to embed the new quota rules within a coherent, technology‑neutral fuel and propulsion strategy to accelerate Germany’s shift to renewable energy in transport