EU oil sands ruling set to irk Canada

Oil derived from tar sands will be penalised by the European Union after the European Commission resisted pressure from Canada to exclude the fuel from new pollution standards.

The Commission decided to target tar sands on the 4 October 2011 after more than a year of review, which saw intense lobbying from Ottawa and the oil industry. It will classify oil derived from tar sands as being nearly a quarter more polluting than conventional crude in new legislation that requires suppliers to reduce transport fuels’ carbon emissions.

EurActiv, 5.10.11: EU faces down tar sands industry http://www.euractiv.com/climate-environment/eu-faces-tar-sands-industry-news-508140

EurActiv: Links Dossier: The review of the EU's Fuel Quality Directive http://www.euractiv.com/transport/review-eu-fuel-quality-directive/article-167990

European Commission: DG Environment: Transport and Environment: Fuel Quality Monitoring http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/transport/fuel.htm

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