OIL SANDS AND EUROPEAN UNION FUEL QUALITY DIRECTIVE (FQD)

摘要

In April 2009 the European Union adopted a new Directive 2009/30 revising an earlier FQD 98/70 and requiring fuel suppliers to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of energy supplied for road transport. Article 7a of the revised FQD sets a target of a six per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from road transport by 2020, based on the level of emissions in 2010. In order to implement the reduction, and monitor its achievement, the European Union must establish emission values for various types of fossil fuel. By the end of 2010 most fuels had been given their emission values but it remained to be seen whether fuels derived from oil sands would be given the same value as those from conventional crude oil or would be given a higher value, with intense lobbying on both sides.