UPDATE 1-EU Plans to Impose Import Duties on Indonesia Biodiesel
by Philip Blenkinsop, Sybille de la Hamaide and Bernadette Christina Munthe (Reuters) The European Commission has proposed duties ranging from 8% to 18% on imports of biodiesel from Indonesia to counter what it says are unfair subsidies, the latest twist in a case that has lasted seven years.
The subsidies would be a double blow for Indonesian biodiesel after the European Union decided in March that palm oil should no longer be considered as green and so should be phased out of renewable transportation fuel.
The Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28-member European Union, launched an anti-subsidy investigation in December following a complaint by the European Biodiesel Board.
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The chairman of the Indonesian producers’ biofuel association, Master Parulian Tumanggor, said the EU’s allegations were “totally untrue.”
“We Indonesian palm oil companies believe that we have never received any subsidies from the government,” he told Reuters. “The loans we received were based on a commercial scheme and we pay tax according to the regulation.”
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European biodiesel producers welcomed the move. READ MORE
EU plans to impose import duties on Indonesia biodiesel (Bangkok Post)
Indonesia in fight with EU over biofuel, again (Jakarta Post)
Malaysia sees UK trade deal with palm producers after Brexit (Jakarta Post)