European Commission plans measures to strengthen biofuel certification system
After completing its investigation into the alleged fraud of certification and labelling of biofuel imports originating from China, the European Commission is now preparing “a range of actions” to strengthen the biofuel certification system.
IMAGE: EU flag in front of the Berlaymont building, the headquarters of European Commission. Getty Images
This follows a complaint filed by Germany in 2023 concerning suspected fraudulent certification and mislabelling of biofuels originating from China.
Although the Commission has not confirmed “the existence of fraud,” it stated that it has “identified some systemic weaknesses in the way certification audits have been conducted” and is now taking steps to address these issues.
It has set up a working group under the Committee on the Sustainability of Biofuels, Bioliquids, and Biomass Fuels to work on possible revisions to the Implementing Regulation on sustainability certification.
“The working group has made good progress on additional measures that could better prevent fraud in the future,” it said.
The Commission aims to finalise the legal text by early 2026, with input from stakeholders.
Additionally, it is in talks with EU countries to fix a timeline for the mandatory use of the Union Database for biofuels (UDB), which is an already existing traceability system covering both liquid and gaseous fuels.
UDB’s “mandatory systemic use by all relevant businesses is a pre-condition for its success,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Commission has allowed the German authorities to conduct further investigation into the alleged frauds in biofuel imports from China “if they wish to do so.”
The European Biodiesel Board (EBB) has acknowledged the European Commission's recognition of systematic weaknesses in the verification system but noted that delays in implementing safeguard measures would hurt compliant biofuel producers.
“Without swift and coordinated enforcement, compliant EU producers remain at a disadvantage, and trust in the system continues to erode,” EBB said in a social media post.
By Shilpa Sharma
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