Editorial note

Directive 2003/30/EC of 8 May 2003 is concerned with the promotion of the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels to replace diesel or petrol for transport purposes in each Member State (Article 1). The term ‘biofuels’ is defined to mean liquid or gaseous fuel for transport produced from biomass (Article 2(1)) and a list of some products considered to be biofuels is provided in Article 2(2). Member States should set national indicative targets to ensure that a minimum proportion of biofuels and other renewable fuels are placed on their markets, with a reference value for these targets of 2 percent and 5.75 percent for 31 December 2005 and 31 December 2010 respectively (Article 3(1)). The Directive provides that biofuels can be made available either as pure biofuels (or at high concentration in mineral oil derivatives), as biofuels blended in mineral oil derivatives, or as liquids derived from biofuels (Article 3(2)). Member States should consider the overall climate and environmental balance of the various types of biofuels and other renewable fuels and may give priority to the promotion of fuels which demonstrate a very good cost-effective environmental balance (Article 3(4)). Information should be given to the public on the availability of biofuels and other renewable fuels (Article 3(5)).

Member States are required to report to the Commission on the measures taken to promote the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels, the national resources allocated to the production of biomass for energy uses other than transport, and the total sale of transport fuel and the share of biofuels and other renewable fuels placed on the market (Article 4(1)).