EU Fuel Directive: A Discriminatory And Deceitful Sham

Originally published in the Edmonton Journal

Product extracted from Canada's oilsands is being attacked by environmentalists on two fronts: in the U.S. through opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, and in Europe, through the proposed implementation of a fuel standard that purports to seek a six-per-cent reduction in the carbon intensity of Europe's transport fuel supply by 2020 - to 83 grams of carbon dioxide per megajoule of energy (g/Mj).

The two main sources of carbon are driving and the combustion of coal to generate electricity. A non-discriminatory transport fuel standard that accurately tracks the carbon emissions generated in the production and consumption of specific crude blends would be a legitimate regulatory tool to protect the environment. As designed, however, the EU's proposed standard is not. Rather, it's a disguised restriction on trade that violates a number of WTO provisions, and an arbitrary and unjustifiable means to discriminate against