Mah slams EU biofuel ban vote

Decision by committee is a ‘step backwards’, says minister

PETALING JAYA: The Government has described the recent vote to endorse a ban on palm oil biofuel in Europe as a “step backwards”.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said the decision by the European Union (EU) Parliament’s Industry, Research & Energy Committee (ITRE) was discriminatory.

“This clearly shows the EU intentionally plans to restrict the imports of palm oil biofuels.

“We condemn this discrimination. It is unjustified and without basis,” he said in the statement.

Mah said the decision would negatively impact European trade in both Malaysia and the South-East Asian region.

He also said that allegations on the environmental impact of palm oil were misleading.

“The ITRE Committee endorsement would allow competitor oilseed crops to continue operating under the EU’s renewable energy directive, whereas palm oil will be excluded.

“This is an unacceptable protectionist trade barrier, and a breach of the EU’s World Trade Organisation commitments,” he said.

Mah said the Government would be compelled to act in order to protect the rights of 650,000 Malaysian palm oil small farmers.

“Malaysia’s forest protection is vastly superior to that of almost every EU member state. We have one of the most advanced forest protection regimes in the world, as recognised by the United Nations and the World Bank.

“Our palm oil exporters are also able to meet the strictest standards of sustainability required by our European customers,” he said.

Mah also pointed out that Malaysian palm oil biofuel exporters have been certified as sustainable by leading European sustainability schemes, including the German International Sustainability and Carbon Certification.

This is an unacceptable protectionist trade barrier, and a breach of the EU’s World Trade Organisation g commitments. Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong