The Fuel Quality Directive
Directive 2009/30/EC, called the Fuel Quality Directive, is not a self-consistent legal document but amends articles of already existing ones. Article 1 of Directive 2009/30/EC adds among others the articles 7b, 7c, and 7d to the Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels. These three articles deal with the sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids, and the regulations are fully in line with the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC).
The following table gives a full comparison of the Renewable Energy Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive:
| Renewable Energy Directive | Fuel Quality Directive |
| Article 2: Definitions | not included |
| Article 5: Calculation of the share of energy from renewable sources |
not included |
| Article 17: Sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids | Article 7b |
| Article 18: Verification of compliance with the sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids | Article 7c |
| Article 19: Calculation of the greenhouse gas impact of biofuels and bioliquids | Article 7d |
| Article 21: Specific provisions related to energy from renewable sources in transport | not included |
| Article 24: Transparency platform | not included |
| Annex III: Energy content of transport fuels | not included |
| Annex V: Rules for calculating the greenhouse gas impact of biofuels, bioliquids and their fossil fuel comparators | Annex IV: Rules for calculating life cycle greenhouse emissions from biofuels |
(Source: European Commission (2010): Communication from the commission on the practical implementation of the EU biofuels and bioliquids sustainability scheme and on counting rules for biofuels.)
Download the Fuel Quality Directive.