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France, Germany advise harder EU look at biofuel imports in fraud probe

France and Germany have contacted the European Union to adopt stricter look at overseas suppliers of biofuel as the EU examines allegations of scams in imports from Asia.

The European biodiesel market has actually complained of a rise in imports from China which it believes include products stated as made with recycled oil and fat however actually produced with more affordable and less sustainable virgin oil.

In a note submitted to a meeting of EU energy ministers on Thursday, France, Germany and the Netherlands said it was required to tighten up checks on biofuel production sites anywhere they are located on the planet.

Accreditation of foreign biofuel as sustainable ought to be turned down in case of refusal of access to the properties, the note stated.

An EU diplomat stated no objections to the proposition were raised at Thursday's conference but no action was taken either, with the matter entrusted to the European Commission to follow up.

The Commission did not instantly respond to a request for remark.

The Commission is performing several probes into biofuel imports, including one on biodiesel from Indonesia possibly preventing EU duties and another on possible disposing of low-cost biodiesel from China.

Biodiesel is amongst the alternative fuels promoted to decrease carbon emissions in transportation and Europe has actually motivated usage of recycled oil rather of virgin grease.

Some U.S. producers have also complained about a jump in shipments of recycled oil from China.

The EU biodiesel market, which the Commission says is worth 31 billion euros

(source: Reuters)