The European Union is taking a concrete step toward including biofuels among “CO2 neutral fuels.” The Industry Committee (ITRE) of the European Parliament, as part of the approval of the “EURO 7” package for diesel vehicles, voted for an article with the definition of “carbon-neutral fuels” in which it also included “biofuel, biogas, biomass fuel, renewable liquid and gaseous transportation fuel of non-biological origin (RFNBO) or a recycled carbon fuel (RCF).”

In practice, biofuels are equated with e-fuels in terms of zero carbon dioxide emissions. This definition may not be overlooked by the EU Commission in the next stages of approval of the “Fit for 55” (delegated acts), particularly in “Recital 11” which had already foreseen the possibility of registration from 2035, together with electric vehicles, also of internal combustion vehicles provided that they are “powered by renewable fuels of non-biological origin” (e-fuels). As stated by MEP Salini: “Today we have created a very important regulatory precedent that can save the internal combustion engine. Together with the Euro 7 dossier freed from unrealistic targets, we have in fact obtained the approval of the first European definition of “CO2-neutral fuels,” which also includes the biofuels requested by Italy alongside Germany’s e-fuels.” Regarding “Euro7” diesels, the ITRE Commission proposes postponing the entry into force of Euro 7 until 2030, changing the emission limits for vans and those on tires, and maintaining Euro 6 test conditions for heavy-duty trucks.