Ministers were invited to answer two questions raised by the presidency, one focussing on whether the draft directive adequately fulfils its objectives of addressing indirect land-use change emissions and encouraging the transition to advanced biofuels, and the second relating to its support for the achievement of the existing energy and climate change objectives in the EU.

The Council held a public orientation debate on the draft directive on indirect land-use change (ILUC) amending the fuel quality (98/70/EC) and renewable energy (2009/28/EC) directives. Presidency of the EU Council invited ministers to answer whether the draft directive adequately fulfils its objectives of addressing indirect land-use change emissions and encouraging the transition to advanced biofuels, and also a question relating to its support for the achievement of the existing energy and climate change objectives in the EU. In October 2012, the Commission proposed to limit global land conversion for biofuel production.

According to the Council, the outcome of discussions will provide guidance for further work on this proposal. The proposed directive aims to promote a transition to biofuels that deliver substantial greenhouse gas savings. In particular, it aims to start the transition to biofuels that deliver substantial greenhouse gas savings, through limiting the contribution that conventional biofuels make to attaining the targets of the renewable energy directive; improving the greenhouse gas performance of biofuel production processes; encouraging a greater market penetration of advanced biofuels; and improving the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by estimating ILUC emissions of biofuels.

When these directives were adopted, the European Parliament and the Council asked the Commission to review negative impacts on greenhouse gas savings that could result from the conversion of land and to present, if appropriate, a legislative proposal. The European Parliament committee vote on the draft directive is scheduled for July 2013.