Commissioner Stavros Dimas DG for the Environment Commissioner Jacques Barrot DG for Energy and Transport Copy to: EU Ministers of Environment Dear Commissioners, The European Community has specifically two directives within the area of transportation fuels. One is the fuel quality directive (1998/70/EC as amended by 2003/17/EC) and the other is the biofuel directive (2003/30/EC). The fuel quality directive lays down the environmental specifications for market fuels. By 31 December 2005 at the latest, the European Commission shall review the fuel specifications. The biofuel directive calls for a substitution of petrol and diesel fuel corresponding to 5,75 percent on an energy basis in 2010. Low level blending of biofuels in petrol and diesel is the only means to meet the goals set by the biofuel directive in a short timeframe. Ethanol is, at least in the short-term, the most cost-effective biofuel that can be produced in sufficiently large quantities. Ethanol blends result in reduced emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter and certain known carcinogens. Furthermore, the use of ethanol blending up to 10 percent does not require engine modifications. Low level blending of biofuels can also play an important role in meeting the climate change targets under the Kyoto Protocol, which seeks to limit the emissions of greenhouse gases. However, the current fuel quality directive and its corresponding specifi- cations have limits for the blending rate of ethanol in petrol. The ethanol limit is 5 percent. This is a barrier that makes the fulfilment of the bio- fuel directive practically impossible. Therefore it is important to study Postal address Telephone E-mail: [email protected] SE-103 33 Stockholm +46 8 405 10 00 SWEDEN Visitors' address Fax Telex Tegelbacken 2 +46 8 24 16 29 154 99 MINEN S 2 what can be done to open up for amending the fuel quality directive to increase the content of oxygenates originating from biomass. In order to meet the goals of the biofuel directive we need to increase the blending rate of ethanol in petrol from 5 percent to 10 percent. There- fore, we would very much appreciate if the Commission would start preparations in order to make an amended proposal for a fuel quality di- rective with a 10 percent limit on the blending of ethanol in petrol. Yours sincerely, Lena Sommestad Cristina Narbona Ruiz Minister of the Environment Minister of the Environment Sweden Spain .