The National Biodiesel Board has filed comments with the European Union Commission challenging what it calls unfair trade duties that have blocked U.S. biodiesel exports to Europe since 2009. Biodiesel Board’s Ben Evans says the U.S. has effectively been shut out of the European market for five years now and wants the Commission reviewing that tariff to drop it so free trade can go forward evening the playing field.
Evans says they may have to file a WTO challenge eventually but now they’re trying to get resolution with the European Commission.
Evans says his group has pointed out to the Commission that U.S. imports of biodiesel from the E.U. have grown in recent years while E.U. imports of U.S. biodiesel have been virtually eliminated. He adds the U.S. biodiesel tax incentive, the primary basis for the E.U.’s initial trade duties is not in effect now and hasn’t been for three of the past five years.