July 26, 2016

FEFAC cautions on phase-out of crop-based biofuels after 2020

FEFAC welcomes the European Commission's package of measures to drive Europe's transition to a low-carbon economy, published on July 20.

The European feed sector is involved in key European (DG ENVI Product Environmental Footprint) and global (Global Feed LCA Institute) initiatives that seek to actively contribute to emission mitigation strategies at farm level that help with tackling climate change. These new approaches in methodology and database development would be used as the key reference for setting realistic reduction targets for livestock-related emissions at national level.

FEFAC invites the European Commission to carefully study the impact of the proposed phase-out of crop-based biofuels after 2020, which is bound to have a detrimental impact on the European feed sector's capacity to utilise EU-produced proteins. Vegetable protein meals, resulting from biodiesel production, provide a significant contribution to the protein supply of the EU livestock sector.

Hence, the body calls on the Commission to create a robust EU protein balance sheet. The document would support a comprehensive impact assessment of the potential and gradual bio-fuels phase-out post-2020.