EU Committee Makes No Decision On Oilsands

In a highly anticipated vote, a European Union committee of technical experts failed to reach a decision on whether to approve a European Commission proposal to classify oilsands crude oil as more harmful to the environment than other forms of fuel. The proposal will now go to a council of EU ministers, with a final decision expected by June.

The proposal by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, would constitute a revision of the EU's Fuel Quality Directive, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 6% from 2010 levels by 2020. The proposal would not ban oilsands crude oil, but it would assign it a greater carbon footprint than conventional crude oil. Under the proposal, oilsands crude oil would be deemed to emit 22% more greenhouse gas by weight than average crude oil.