EU at Stalemate on Canada’s Oilsands Ranking
(CBC News)
European Union vote on ‘fuel-quality directive’ moves up to full council debate
European Union officials are at a stalemate after voting on whether to classify Canada’s oilsands crude as more harmful to the environment than other fuels — a proposal that Canada would fight.
The ballot by experts from the EU’s 27 member countries, which are weighted by population, failed to produce the required 255 votes needed to approve the classification.
As a result, the proposal will move up to the European Council, which will vote on it in late spring or early summer.
“This is not the end of it,” the CBC’s Margo McDiarmid reported. “Instead, what happens is that this policy … will get bumped up to the EU Council. If the council does vote for the measure to declare Canada’s oilsands oil dirty, Canada will appeal to world trade bodies.” Read more here.
Date: February 23, 2012
