VZCZCXRO4348
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHC #9217/01 2610329
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 170321Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO RHMCSUU/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 099217 
 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY EUN SIPDIS
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: SOLICITING MEMBER STATE VIEWS 
ON EU BIOFUELS SUSTAINABILITY 
 
REF: USEU 1171 
 
THIS CABLE REPLACES STATE 98110 WHICH WAS SENT 
INCOMPLETE AND IN ERROR. 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request for all EU member 
posts.  Please see paragraph 2 below.  Embassy Paris, 
please see additional actions in paragraph 3.  USEU 
Brussels, as you discuss this topic with member state 
representatives and others, please use points in 
paragraphs 2 and 3 as appropriate. 
 
---------- 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Department requests Posts in EU capitals pursue 
the following action plan: 
 
-- Report on the host government position with respect 
to the current EU consideration of sustainability and 
greenhouse gas emissions reduction criteria for 
biofuels, to be incorporated in implementing regulations 
for the EU's "20-20-20 by 2020" Climate and Energy 
package. The French, currently holding the rotating EU 
Presidency, seek to achieve final approval of the 
Climate and Energy Package by the EU Council of 
Ministers and the European Parliament by the end of 
¶2008. 
 
-- Washington agencies are interested in the position of 
the host government regarding European biofuel mandates 
in general and specifically on the nature and 
expectations of sustainability criteria for biofuels, as 
well as the discrete positions of the agricultural, 
energy, and environmental ministries or authorities, and 
any intragovernmental differences in position. 
 
-- As appropriate, share with interlocutors the summary 
of U.S. and EU efforts to develop respective national 
sustainability criteria for biofuels in paragraph 5, and 
stress both the U.S. commitment to sustainable biofuels, 
and the efforts of the U.S., EU and others within the 
Global Bioenergy Partnership to develop common 
sustainability criteria. 
 
-- Washington is not seeking a formal intervention, but 
rather, engagement and discussion on this topic at the 
level Post deems appropriate. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Additional action for Paris only: Discuss with 
appropriate French interlocutors, as representatives of 
the EU presidency: 
 
-- We hope that France will support continued U.S.-EU 
cooperation on development of science-based biofuels 
sustainability criteria. 
 
-- Existing cooperation between EC and U.S. scientific 
experts and regulators on this topic is mutually 
beneficial and should be strengthened. 
 
-- We are pleased France and other members of the EU 
have already committed under the Global Bioenergy 
Partnership (GBEP) to advance voluntary global biofuels 
sustainability criteria, indicators, and benchmarks by 
next spring.  This multilateral effort provides another 
means to promote sustainability of biofuels. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
REPORTING DEADLINE AND POINTS OF CONTACT 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Posts should report results of effort by cable 
or e-mail to EUR/ERA Matthew Beh (202 647 1820, 
behmk@state.gov) and OES/EGC Drew Nelson (202 736 7444, 
nelsonds@state.gov) before September 23, 2008. 
 
 
------------------------------ 
BACKGROUND AND GUIDANCE POINTS 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (U) Please draw from the following as appropriate. 
 
 
STATE 00099217  002 OF 003 
 
 
BEGIN NON-PAPER TEXT 
 
Background on Parallel U.S. and EU Efforts on Biofuels 
Sustainability: 
 
-- Experts at the United States Environmental Protection 
Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, 
Department of State and other agencies are currently 
discussing criteria for assessing biofuels 
sustainability  with their European Commission 
counterparts. The U.S. is also working with 
international partners through the Global Bioenergy 
Partnership to develop voluntary international 
sustainability criteria. 
 
-- The EU is considering mandatory sustainability and 
greenhouse gas emissions reduction criteria for biofuels 
to be incorporated in implementing regulations for the 
"20-20-20 by 2020" Climate and Energy package. Such 
regulations are expected as part of a legislative 
package France, the current EU presidency country, would 
like to have finalized by both the Council of Ministers 
and the European Parliament by the end of 2008. 
 
-- The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 
(EISA) mandates a similar process in the United States. 
It would be preferable to have compatible, science-based 
criteria for measuring biofuels sustainability on both 
sides of the Atlantic. 
 
-- EISA calls for about a 15% biofuel share by 2022 with 
biofuels performance requirements for reductions in 
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.  The mandatory 
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction standards 
established in EISA range from 20 to 50 and 60% 
reductions off the baseline gasoline and diesel fuels 
they replace.  Conventional biofuels produced from 
facilities constructed after enactment of EISA are 
required to meet a minimum 20% reduction; biomass-based 
diesel and advanced biofuels a 50% reduction; and 
cellulosic biofuels a 60% reduction.  EPA and other USG 
experts are using advanced modeling and other scientific 
methods to develop our own biofuels mandatory standards, 
as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard mandated by EISA. 
(EPA's publication of a draft rule is expected fall 
2008.) 
 
-- (A note on terminology: "Standards," in this context, 
is the U.S. term for mandatory requirements.  However, 
under EU law (as well as the WTO), a "standard" can be 
voluntary or mandatory.  "Criteria" can be either 
mandatory, in EU context,  or voluntary in U.S. context. 
The EISA requirements discussed in this cable are 
mandatory). 
 
-- At the February 2008 EU-U.S. biofuels dialogue in 
Washington, senior officials and experts from both sides 
agreed that second-generation biofuels from non-food 
feedstocks represent a major opportunity to reduce both 
greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependency.  Building 
on that foundation, EC regulators in a May 2008 
bilateral videoconference expressed great interest in 
work conducted by the EPA, pursuant to EISA, on 
methodologies for assessing the life-cycle greenhouse 
gas emissions of biofuels.  Building on that discussion, 
U.S. experts are currently preparing to present to their 
EC counterparts draft sustainability criteria being 
developed by a U.S. interagency Sustainability Working 
Group.  The USG hopes the EC will present on the latest 
developments in the EC's work on sustainability 
criteria.  Additional exchanges are also contemplated. 
 
-- The United States hopes to ensure that biofuels 
sustainability criteria developed by the EU are grounded 
in science and compatible with U.S. criteria and 
standards.  This effort is distinct from, but 
complementary to and consistent with, U.S. and EU 
efforts in the Global Bio-Energy Partnership to develop 
voluntary, multilateral criteria and measurement 
methodologies for sustainability. 
 
Request for Information: 
 
-- Biofuels offer a powerful tool for achieving the EU's 
ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and 
are a critical element of U.S. national strategy for 
mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and addressing 
energy security. 
 
-- The United States is interested to learn the 
 
STATE 00099217  003 OF 003 
 
 
perspective of European Union member state governments 
on biofuels sustainability, particularly development of 
mandatory criteria for assessing biofuels 
sustainability.  The United States is also interested to 
learn member state government views on the latest 
developments in the consideration of the Renewable Fuels 
Directive by the Council of the European Union and the 
European Parliament, including any views on timing and 
specific proposals. 
 
END NON-PAPER TEXT 
RICE