European Parliament votes to strengthen biofuel targets for public transport
The European Parliament adopted amendments to the Council common position on biofuels for public transport on 12 March, aiming to strengthen Member States' commitment to achieving common biofuel targets. The Council's position proposed that national governments should be given the freedom to decide their own targets for use of biofuel in public transport, and that the figures of 2 per cent by 2005 and 5.75 per cent by 2010 should be 'reference figures'. MEPs, however, voted for amendments which state that if these figures are not achieved for reasons that are unjustified or do not relate to new scientific evidence, the Commission would have the power to set appropriate mandatory targets. Under the Parliament's proposal, Member States would also be required to provide the Commission with an annual report detailing the measures that have been adopted in order to achieve the reference figures and to phase out the use of petrol and diesel in public transportation. On a specific point, MEPs consider that fuel derived from vegetable oil should be recognised as biofuel and included in the proposed directive's definitions of biofuels. The Energy Council will consider Parliament's proposed amendments at a future meeting.