European Commission gathers key international players to discuss sustainable development of biofuels

On 5 and 6 July, the European Commission will bring together some of the most influential figures in the biofuel sector to debate the benefits and challenges of bio-fuels production and use. Hosted by External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the two-day conference will include key contributions from the Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Portuguese Prime Minister, José Sócrates. European Commissioners Andris Piebalgs, Peter Mandelson, Louis Michel and Stavros Dimas, and Ministers from the EU and all over the world will also participate, as well as business representatives and academics, representatives of NGOs and other groups to discuss how to develop an international approach to biofuel production, use and trade. Debates will be addressing five key issues: policies to support biofuels; development of international trade in biofuels, environmental risks and benefits of production and use, biofuels and developing countries and research activities in biofuels.

President Barroso said: "Properly managed, biofuels have the potential to offer important benefits: they can help to reinforce energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They also provide an important opportunity for industrial development, innovation and employment promotion. We need to develop an EU biofuels policy which will meet our objectives of enhancing security of supply and tackling climate change, while ensuring sustainable development."

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said: "The Commission is determined to be at the forefront of ensuring that biofuels are developed in ways that protect our planet – not in ways that present new risks. At the same time we need to work towards a credible and sustainable international market and convergence in biofuel standards. This can only be achieved by a transparent and frank dialogue with all partners – and today's conference is a first step."

The transport sector produces nearly a third of CO2 emissions in the EU and almost uniquely depends on oil, a largely imported fossil fuel, which is set to become more expensive as reserves become depleted. The new EU energy policy, as adopted in March 2007, proposes an immediate response to this situation by encouraging the production and use of biofuels, to replace petrol and diesel, through setting a 10% minimum target for biofuel market share by 2020. This proposal is part of a wider Renewable Energy Roadmap proposed by the European Commission in January 2007 which paves the way towards a 20% share of renewables in the EU's energy mix by 2020. These proposals will be incorporated in a comprehensive renewable energy directive that will also include a biofuel sustainability scheme.

The EU produced 3.9 million tonnes of biofuels in 2005, an increase of 60% compared to 2004. EU production of bioethanol (from cereals) accounts for 0.73 million tonnes of the total and biodiesel (from rapeseed) for 3.2 million tonnes. This represents 1% of EU petrol and diesel consumption. Globally, the production of bioethanol for fuel use was approximately 26.9 million tonnes in 2005, representing around 2% of petrol use worldwide. Brazil is the world’s leading producer of bioethanol, producing nearly 13 million tonnes in 2005, followed by the US which produced 11.8 million tonnes in the same year.

For more information:

EU's External Energy Policy:
http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/energy/index.htm

International Conference on Biofuels 2007:
http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/energy/biofuels/index.htm

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIO-FUELS – MEDIA ADVISORY

What: International Conference on Bio-fuels, organised by the European Commission.

Where: European Commission, Charlemagne Building, rue de la Loi 170, Brussels

When: Thursday 5 July and Friday 6 July

Key items on the agenda are:

Thursday 5 July

09.15 – Official opening by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy.

09.30 – Session on Bio-fuels Policy in the EU and other Countries, opened by Andris Piebalgs, Commissioner for Energy.

10.50 – Peter Mandelson, Commissioner for Trade, will take part in the session on the Development of International Trade in Bio-fuels.

12.00 - President Barroso welcomes President Lula of Brazil at the entrance of the Charlemagne building.

12.00 – Keynote statements from President Lula, Prime Minister of Portugal José Sócrates and President Barroso.

16.15 – Stavros Dimas, Commissioner for Environment, participates in the session on Environment and Bio-fuels: Risks and Benefits of Production and Use.

Friday 6 July

12.40 – Benita Ferrero-Waldner presents the Conference Conclusions.

Ministers and government representatives from the EU, Africa and Asia will participate in the Conference as well as business representatives and academics, representatives of NGOs and other lobby groups.

For more information about this event, including the full conference programme, go to http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/energy/biofuels/index.htm

Europe by Satellite and a photographer will cover the whole event.

For journalists' accreditation, please contact Non Jones on non-rhian.jones@ec.europa.eu, indicating your name, media, email address and contact phone number, or phone 02 29 20 900.

BACKGROUND

The European Commission will host a high level conference on bio-fuels on 5 July in Brussels with the participation of ministers and business leaders from around the world. The aim is to foster debate on the benefits and challenges of bio-fuels production and use. Properly managed, bio-fuels have the potential to offer important benefits: bio-fuels can help to reinforce energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector. They also provide an important opportunity for industrial development, innovation and employment promotion.

The aim of the conference is to launch discussion on how to develop an international approach to bio-fuels production and trade, which will reaps the potential benefits of bio-fuels, while ensuring sustainable development, and avoiding the creation of new risks.

The conference will be addressing four key issues:

• The pre-requisites for the establishment of an international market for bio-fuels

• Environment and bio-fuels

• Bio-fuels and developing countries

• Research prospects.