EU carbon rules / Regulations / Fuel Quality Directive
In force Directive Transport
Fuel Quality Directive
Technical specifications for road fuels and reduction of life-cycle greenhouse gas intensity (as amended by RED III Directive 2023/2413, repealing 2015/652)
- Reference
- Directive 98/70/EC
- Key date
- 1998 (as amended by 2015/1513)
- Applies to
- Fuel suppliers, road and non-road transport
01
Who the regulation applies to
This regulation applies to:
- Member States — must ensure that fuels meet environmental specifications, prohibit the sale of leaded petrol, and monitor and report the quantities and quality of road transport fuels sold in their territory
- Fuel suppliers (the supplier, i.e. the entity responsible for passing the fuel or energy through an excise duty point; where no excise duty applies, another relevant entity designated by the Member State)
- Fuels covered: petrol, diesel and biofuels used in road transport, and gasoil used in non-road mobile machinery (NRMM)
- (Condition) The blending share of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in diesel is generally limited to 7%, and ethanol in petrol is generally limited to 10%
This Directive sets technical specifications for road transport fuels. Amended by Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED III), the original lifecycle greenhouse gas intensity reduction target was deleted and the related 2030 target is now set by the revised Renewable Energy Directive; Council Directive (EU) 2015/652 was also repealed.
The following provisions define its scope:
Article 1 — Scope
This Directive sets, in respect of road vehicles, and non-road mobile machinery (including inland waterway vessels when not at sea), agricultural and forestry tractors, and recreational craft when not at sea:
(a) technical specifications on health and environmental grounds for fuels to be used with positive ignition and compression-ignition engines, taking account of the technical requirements of those engines; and
(b) a target for the reduction of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.
02
What the regulation requires
| Duty | Trigger | Evidence | Timing |
Supply fuels meeting the technical specifications
Meet technical specifications for road transport fuels on health and environmental grounds. | Supplying road and transport fuels in the EU | Fuel quality test reports | Ongoing |
Report and reduce lifecycle GHG intensity
Fuel suppliers must report annually and progressively reduce lifecycle GHG intensity. | As a fuel supplier | Annual GHG intensity report | Annually; reduction of up to 10% by 2020 |
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Key provisions
Article 1 — scope
This Directive sets, in respect of road vehicles, and non-road mobile machinery (including inland waterway vessels when not at sea), agricultural and forestry tractors, and recreational craft when not at sea: (a) technical specifications on health and environmental grounds for fuels ...; and (b) a target for the reduction of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.
Article 7a(1) — monitoring and reporting of GHG intensity
With effect from 1 January 2011, suppliers shall report annually, to the authority designated by the Member State, on the greenhouse gas intensity of fuel and energy supplied within each Member State by providing, as a minimum, the following information: (a) the total volume of each type of fuel or energy supplied, indicating where purchased and its origin; and (b) life cycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy.
Article 7a(2) — reduction obligation
Member States shall require suppliers to reduce as gradually as possible life cycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy from fuel and energy supplied by up to 10 % by 31 December 2020, compared with the fuel baseline standard referred to in paragraph 5(b). This reduction shall consist of: (a) 6 % by 31 December 2020 ...
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Industry dossiers covering this regulation