Report in accordance with Article 9 of Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels

Directive 98/70/EC (the 'Fuel Quality Directive') aims to improve and maintain the quality of transport fuel sold on the European internal market. Its objectives are to secure high minimum levels of environmental and health protection in relation to transport fuel use and to ensure technical compatibility with internal combustion engines. It establishes environmental specifications for petrol and diesel (and the biofuels blended in them) used in road transport and in non-road mobile machinery. The Directive also includes an obligation on fuel suppliers to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the fuel mix they supply by 6% in 2020 compared to 2010.

This report fulfils the requirement under which the Commission must report on a range of specific issues listed in Article 9 of the Fuel Quality Directive. The Commission has also conducted an evaluation of certain parts of the Directive as part of its Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT). The evaluation concluded that the Fuel Quality Directive provides EU added value in improving and maintaining the quality of transport fuels.

The Directive is found to be generally fit for purpose and, based on the evidence available, it is considered to achieve its aims in an effective and broadly efficient manner. However, closer monitoring of how the internal market for transport fuels develops would be useful.

Note: In November 2016 the Commission adopted the Clean Energy for All Europeans package, which included a proposal for a recast of the Renewable Energy Directive. It proposed using this Directive alone to regulate the uptake of low-emission and renewable fuels for the period 2021-2030 and not extending the GHG reduction target under the Fuel Quality Directive beyond 2020.