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EU Policies on Bioenergy and their Potential Clash with the WTO

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  • Alan Swinbank

Abstract

The paper outlines EU policy on bioenergy, including biofuels, in the context of its policy initiatives to promote renewable energy to combat greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The EU’s Member States are responsible for implementing EU policy: thus, the UK’s Renewables Obligation on electricity suppliers and its Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and road‐fuel tax rebates are examined. It is unlikely that EU policy is in conflict with the WTO Agreement on Agriculture or that on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, but its provisions on environmental sustainability criteria could be problematic.

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  • Alan Swinbank, 2009. "EU Policies on Bioenergy and their Potential Clash with the WTO," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 485-503, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jageco:v:60:y:2009:i:3:p:485-503
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1477-9552.2009.00212.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nicholas Perdikis & Robert Read (ed.), 2005. "The WTO and the Regulation of International Trade," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2940.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bartolini, Fabio & Viaggi, Davide, 2012. "An analysis of policy scenario effects on the adoption of energy production on the farm: A case study in Emilia–Romagna (Italy)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 454-464.
    2. Sivek, Martin & Kavina, Pavel & Jirásek, Jakub, 2011. "European Union and the formation of its initiative in energy minerals," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 5535-5540, September.
    3. Swinbank, Alan & Tranter, Richard & Jones, Philip, 2011. "Mandates, buyouts and fuel-tax rebates: Some economic aspects of biofuel policies using the UK as an example," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 1249-1253, March.
    4. Tranter, R.B. & Swinbank, A. & Jones, P.J. & Banks, C.J. & Salter, A.M., 2011. "Assessing the potential for the uptake of on-farm anaerobic digestion for energy production in England," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2424-2430, May.
    5. Bentsen, Niclas Scott & Jack, Michael W. & Felby, Claus & Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark, 2014. "Allocation of biomass resources for minimising energy system greenhouse gas emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 506-515.
    6. Gamborg, Christian & Anker, Helle Tegner & Sandøe, Peter, 2014. "Ethical and legal challenges in bioenergy governance: Coping with value disagreement and regulatory complexity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 326-333.
    7. Jones, Philip & Salter, Andrew, 2013. "Modelling the economics of farm-based anaerobic digestion in a UK whole-farm context," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 215-225.
    8. Arlo Poletti & Daniela Sicurelli, 2016. "The European Union, Preferential Trade Agreements, and the International Regulation of Sustainable Biofuels," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 249-266, March.
    9. Robert Ackrill & Adrian Kay, 2010. "WTO Regulations and Bioenergy Sustainability Certification – Synergies and Possible Conflicts," NBS Discussion Papers in Economics 2010/9, Economics, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.

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