Brussels,

Biofuel

The EU is working on the transition towards advanced biofuels made from sustainable feedstock. Biofuels are liquid transport fuels (e.g., biodiesel and bioethanol) made from biomass. In the EU transport sector, they are used as a renewable alternative to fossil fuels, supporting GHG emissions reductions and improving security of supply.

In June 2023, the European Commission adopted rules establishing how to determine the share of biofuels and biogas in co-processed fuels (mixed fuels produced in a common process using bio-based and fossil-based raw materials) that can count towards the Renewable Energy Directive transport targets.

The relevant act is Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640, published in the Official Journal on 18 August 2023.

Verification approach

• The core verification method is radiocarbon (¹⁴C) testing, with limited flexibility to combine it with company- or process-based methods (especially during the early phase of application).

Transport targets under the revised Renewable Energy Directive

By 2030, EU countries must choose either:

• a 29% share of renewable energy in transport, or
• a 14.5% reduction in the greenhouse-gas intensity of transport fuels,
  and in addition meet a combined 5.5% sub-target for renewable hydrogen and advanced biofuels (covering transport, including aviation and maritime as set out in the Directive’s framework).

Union Database for liquid and gaseous renewable and recycled carbon fuels

The Union Database (UDB) is an EU-wide traceability tool that tracks consignments of renewable and recycled carbon fuels—and the raw materials used to produce them--from origin to final placing on the EU market.

• The UDB was launched in November 2024.
• It encompasses about 31,000 individually certified economic operators, but is not yet used systematically by all; the Commission is discussing a timeline with Member States for full mandatory deployment.

Reference page: Union Database for liquid and gaseous renewable and recycled carbon fuels (European Commission)

Sustainability criteria

The revised Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2023/2413 reinforces the sustainability framework for bioenergy, including safeguards addressing the risk that some crop-based biofuels may undermine climate benefits through indirect land use change (ILUC).

Indirect land use change (ILUC): why it mattersWhen food/feed crops are diverted to biofuel production, agricultural production can shift or expand into non-cropland (potentially forests, wetlands, peatlands), releasing stored carbon and reducing net GHG savings. This is the ILUC risk highlighted in EU policy.

EU approach: limits and phase-downTo address ILUC:

• The Directive places limits on how much food/feed crop-based biofuels can be counted towards national renewable targets.
• It also sets a trajectory for high ILUC-risk biofuels (i.e., associated with significant expansion into high-carbon-stock land) to decrease to zero by 2030, while low ILUC-risk certified fuels are exempt from those limits.

Key implementing act

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/807 sets criteria to determine high ILUC-risk feedstock and establishes rules for certification of low ILUC-risk biofuels/bioliquids/biomass fuels. The Commission adopted in 2019 an accompanying report on the status of production expansion of relevant food and feed crops worldwide (COM/2019/142), based on the best available scientific data. It provides information that EU countries can use jointly with the criteria set out in the delegated act in order to identify high ILUC-risk fuels and certify low ILUC-risk fuels. 

Updated evidence and revision process

• The Commission adopted an updated ILUC report on 20 January 2026 and published work related to a Commission Delegated Regulation (2026) XXX, based on updated data (including analysis prepared for DG ENER).
  

Quality standards for biofuels

In cooperation with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the EU supports the development and improvement of technical quality standards for biofuels and biofuel blends used in vehicle engines (work carried out in CEN technical structures with industry and stakeholder expertise).

Reports on emissions from cultivation of raw materials for use in biofuels

Under Article 31(2–4) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, as amended by Directive (EU) 2023/2413, EU countries and third countries submit reports on cultivation emissions for agricultural raw materials used in biofuels, typically at NUTS2 (or equivalent) level, with methodological documentation.

The Commission may recognise submitted data through implementing acts.

Ask eEuropa staff implementing Regulations