EWABA - Review of the year & outlook

Review of the year and outlook for the future of the biofuels industry

The year 2024 was characterised by important political decisions - in particular the European elections, which resulted in a new composition of the European Parliament and the European Commission. With the "Clean Industrial Deal", competitiveness and climate protection are to be considered together in future. It is particularly pleasing that the principle of "technology neutrality" has now officially found its way into the political discourse in Brussels. This is of key importance for road transport, where CO₂-neutral fuels, including biofuels, should continue to play a central role. In this context, the working group for the monitoring of CO2-neutral fuels is currently finalising a report to show legislators that there are reliable methods for CO2 accounting and that there is a broad consensus on their definition.

At the same time, the sector is facing major challenges. Suspicious biodiesel imports remain a challenge despite provisional anti-dumping duties. EWABA is therefore calling for stricter controls and improvements to the certification system. A key issue is the implementation of the EU biofuel database (UDB), which has brought both progress and difficulties. Thanks to the commitment of the members, improvements have already been achieved, but further adjustments are necessary to increase the binding nature and guarantee data protection.

In addition to these challenges, there are also positive developments. The expansion of the list of raw materials in Annex IX of the RED Directive offers new opportunities, but requires clear certification rules and an adjustment of the upper limits for biofuels from waste and residues. In addition, the implementation of B10 and higher biodiesel blends is pending, which EWABA is actively campaigning for. The maritime sector is also moving more into focus: the new requirements of the FuelEU Maritime Regulation from 2025 will open up additional market opportunities for producers of advanced, waste-based biodiesel. The coming years will remain challenging - but also full of opportunities.

Source: Blogpost by Daša Mamrillova, EWABA