‘UK agrees EU proposal unfair’
KUALA LUMPUR: The United Kingdom has agreed with Malaysia’s position that the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive II is unfair and against international trade practice.
In a statement yesterday, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said Britain’s support on the issue was expressed during a courtesy call by British High Commissioner Malaysia Vicki Treadell.
The meeting was focused on the EU proposal to ban palm oil from biofuel and renewable energy mix by 2020, and its adverse effect on the income and livelihoods of more than 650,000 smallholders in Malaysia.
Malaysia strongly opposes the EU resolution as it discriminates and seeks to ban palm oil from 2021, yet other vegetable oils will only be phased out from 2031.
Treadell said the UK agreed with Malaysia that it was unfair to ban palm oil much earlier than other vegetable oils.
Malaysia-UK l relations encompasses a wide range of areas, including education, trade and culture and tourism.
Malaysia is the UK’s second largest export market in Asean and the UK is Malaysia’s third largest trading partner in Europe.
In the field of education, there are currently more than 18,000 Malaysians studying in the UK.
The meeting between Mah and Treadell also discussed future cooperation between Malaysia and UK, particularly in development of downstream palm oil products to create new economic opportunities.
Mah said both the UK and Malaysia would organise a roundtable discussion with local palm oil industry leaders, potential investors and technical experts.
On Saturday, he will lead a Malaysian delegation to the EU for the Malaysia-EU Oil Palm Negotiation Mission.
Besides, the mission will also include meetings with government representatives from six European nations — Germany, the UK, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Poland.
He said the mission aimed to negotiate with the members of the tripartite meeting from influential countries to gain support and express Malaysia’s firm stance to oppose the discrimination against the palm oil producing countries.