ROAD TRANSPORT FUELS (6145/07)
Letter from the Chairman to Stephen Ladyman
MP, Minister of State for Transport, Department for Transport
Sub-Committee B considered these documents,
and your Explanatory Memorandum, at its meeting on 5 March 2007.
We share your initial concerns over the potential
implications of the amendments to Directive 98/70/EC. It is important
that those Member States which have taken the most positive action
to promote biofuels are not penalised, as you fear might be the
case. Equally, any initiatives to significantly increase biofuel
production should be accompanied with a rigorous assessment of
the likely impact on biodiversity and agricultural land use. We
would be very disappointed if, as your Explanatory Memorandum
implies, this is not the case. The proposal does not appear to
consider the possibility of importing biofuels from outside the
EU. What is your assessment of the potential for such imports
to contribute to the EU's biofuel supply?
We note your view, expressed in paragraph six
of your Explanatory Memorandum, that the regulation of fuel quality
to achieve environmental targets "cannot be sufficiently
achieved by Member States". Can you expand on this explanation?
You write that you are "still considering"
the implications of the draft Directive. We would be grateful
to you for your full assessment of these implications as soon
as you have made it; and for the result of your consultation of
stakeholders.
We will maintain scrutiny on the proposal at
this stage.
7 March 2007
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