European Commission
2708th Council Meeting
Agriculture and Fisheries
Excerpts

Source:
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=PRES/06/39&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN

BIOENERGIES

(15741/05+ADD1, 6153/06+ADD1)

The Council held a policy debate on the Commission Communication on the biomass action plan and the Commission Communication on the European strategy for biofuels. The Council agreed to return to this issue at its next meeting.

The exchange of views was based on the following three questions drawn up by the Presidency in order to frame the debate:

• Do you consider the contribution of bioenergy sources to be crucial in reaching the target for Renewable Energy Sources (RES) of 12% by 2010?
• Could you identify the [five top] / [priority] measures to be taken at Community level, which could achieve an economically and environmentally sustainable supply for bioenergy in the EU?
• Do you consider biofuels produced within the EU should constitute a central element in reaching the target inclusion rate of 5,75% of biofuels by 2010?

At the end of the meeting, the Presidency drew the conclusions that delegations:

"1. are conscious of the need to diversify the Union’s energy supply sources, and the importance of meeting sustainability goals, in particular the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions agreed under the Kyoto Protocol, the Council welcomes the Biomass Action Plan and the EU Strategy for Biofuels;

2. recognise that the development of biomass for energy has the potential to provide new income and employment opportunities in rural areas especially for agriculture, forestry and other sectors of the rural economy;

3. recognise the need to ensure that development of biomass for energy and fuel is sustainable and maximises environmental benefits;

4. consider that, in order to reach the renewable energy target of 12% by 2010, the contribution of biomass is crucial. Delegations therefore invite the Commission to stress the importance of the specific contribution biomass can make to energy supply, when drawing up its Green Paper following on from the Hampton Court Informal Council;

5. support the Biomass Action Plan in promoting the use of biomass in all three energy sectors – heating and cooling, electricity and transport;

6. welcome the cautious but forward-looking approach set out in the Strategy for Biofuels, and its objectives of further promoting biofuels in the EU, preparing for their large-scale use by improving their economic and environmental performance, and exploring the opportunities for developing countries;

7. invite the Commission to ensure that the 2010 renewable energy target for the transport sector is met. To this end, delegations invite the Commission to consider the merits of renewable fuel obligations as a way of supporting the development and uptake of biofuels across the EU when reviewing the Biofuels Directive in 2006;

8. invite the Commission to remove existing technical and non-technical barriers to the wider use of biofuels in the EU, in a manner consistent with safeguarding their environmental objectives. In this regard, delegations welcome the intention of the Commission to review the Fuel Quality Directive in 2006 and other fuel standards;

9. endorse the Commission’s proposal to continue its support for the research and development of biofuels in the 7^th Framework Programme, to help improve the biofuel industry’s competitiveness, and to give high priority to the “bio-refinery” concept and second-generation biofuels, and to further encourage the development of an industry-led Biofuel Technology Platform;

10. welcome the balanced approach to ongoing and future trade negotiations concerning biofuels, as set out in the Biomass Action Plan and the EU Strategy for biofuels;

11. invite the Commission when reviewing the energy crop scheme, to ensure that it is consistent with the EU’s overall biofuel policy and that adequate incentives are provided to the development of energy crops in all Member States and to address simplification of the energy crops regime in this review;

12. invite the Commission to monitor the development of demand and supply of biomass for energy and other industrial uses, the impact on agricultural prices and on the availability of feedstocks for competing industries."