Ministers reject Euro red diesel plan


13 December 2001



Ministers reject Euro red diesel plan

By Philip Clarke in Brussels


EUROPEAN environment ministers have rejected plans to make red diesel sulphur-free – a move that would have put up the cost to farmers by 10%.


The plans had been tagged on to European commission proposals to improve road fuels by removing sulphur, from 2009.


While welcoming the drive to cut road-traffic pollution, farm groups and oil refiners said extending this to off-road uses could be counter-productive.


As well as adding 2.5ppl to the cost of red diesel, extra emissions from the additional refining would outweigh any gains in air quality.


Many farm machines would struggle to cope with the lower-viscocity diesel.


European environment ministers concurred there was no need to extend the directive to off-road vehicles in Brussels on Wednesday (12 December)


Instead, they supported the commissions original proposal, which will see the sulphur content of road fuel cut to less than 10mg/kg (ppm) by 2009.


Member states will then have the option of set red diesel at the same level as gas oil (1000mg/kg), or at 500mg/kg, or the same as road diesel.


It will not be mandatory.


While welcoming the development, National Farmers Union Brussels spokesman Tom Hind warned that the issue was not over yet.


“This was just the first reading. The legislation now goes back to the council working groups and the parliament for a second reading.”


Ultimately the two institutions have to find common ground.

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