(Bio)Fueling Injustice? - Europafrica

- standards for distribution of biofuels;
- tax reductions or exemptions that are generally available;
- tax reductions or exemptions under quota systems (allowing selected
companies to put a certain amount of biofuel on the market under reduced
tax)
- biofuels obligations (under which fuel suppliers are required to include a
given percentage of biofuels in the total amount of fuel they place on the
national market);
- requirements for filling stations to sell biofuels (in high blends [or pure]);
- green public procurement of vehicles capable of running on high-blend or
pure biofuels;
- demonstration projects and marketing;
- consumer incentives including free parking, no congestion charge. 74
The EU trade policy (which is a full competency of the EU – not of Member States) is
an important instrument to influence the price and production of biofuels globally. 75
High import tariffs can favour local production, while free trade agreements encourage
production abroad. 76 The European Commission noted for instance in 2011, referring
in particular to the reduction in imports from the US after some measures were taken:
“Imported biofuels in the EU come from a range of countries, and the last two years
have seen considerable changes in the list of countries from which the EU imported
biofuels, thus reflecting the impact that EU tariff preferences can have on such
imports.” 77 The European Commission indicated that it would use the trade instrument
for biofuels: “Trade policy measures to facilitate access to a growing EU biofuels
market could contribute to finding a successful conclusion to on-going free trade
negotiations.” 78
Trade measures favour imports from developing countries, notably in Africa. Many
African countries have preferential access to the EU under the Everything but Arms
(EBA) 79 initiative and other measures, which give them an advantage over existing
large biofuel producers such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia. 80 The EBA regime
applies to 34 African countries. It grants duty-free access to imports of all products
from least developed countries, except arms and ammunitions, without any
quantitative restrictions (with the exception of bananas, sugar and rice for a limited
period). A number of other preferential arrangements between the EU and developing
countries applicable to African countries, such as the Economic Partnership
Agreements under the Cotonou Agreement, 81 the Generalised System of Preferences
and the bilateral free trade agreements allow preferential access to EU markets for the
member countries. 82 As a result, in 2010 7.1% of EU total imports of primary products
(agricultural and fuels and mining products) came from African, Caribbean and Pacific
States, excluding South Africa. 83
Diplomacy and multilateral dialogue can lay the ground for biofuel investments in
Africa. As part of the dialogue between the African Union and the European Union, the
Africa-Europe Energy Partnership (AEEP) is a long-term framework for structured
political dialogue and co-operation between Africa and the EU on energy issues of
strategic importance. The Africa-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme
(RECP) which was launched in September 2010 seeks to prepare renewable energy
33