15/09/2008 (Bernama), Brussels -- Malaysia wants the European Union (EU) to review its decision on renewable energy and fuel quality, especially on the use of palm oil for the production of biofuel, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said.

Describing it as discriminatory, he said: "I don't really understand the decision. How to support it," he told Bernama.

Last Thursday, the European Parliament's influential Industry Committee endorsed a 10 percent target on the usage of biofuels in transport by 2020.

It also covers the shift from traditional biofuels made from grains or other crops towards other renewable energy sources.

"The decision by the Industry Committee to raise the percentage of carbon emission savings for palm-based biodiesel from the specified threshold level of 35 per cent to 45 per cent implied that the EU does not want to entertain the inclusion of biodiesel from oil palm, soya and rape seed," it said.

Chin, who is leading a nine-day Joint Ministerial Mission to Europe, namely to The Hague, Brussels and London, said the directive signalled that the EU was closing its doors for biofuel from the three biggest sources of biofuel.

He felt that if the directive was followed, the EU would not achieve its objectives on biofuel usage.

"If they want to use wind, surely it will not be sufficient, to use solar energy, they don't have it, and to use biomass, it's very little," he said.

The minister said he believed the industry committee's decision would not be accepted by all EU member states.

"This means we still have the opportunity to discuss the matter with EU members. We will continue to find ways on how to influence EU member states to amend the conditions set by the committee.

"We are going to continue to engage EU member countries, EU Commission and the Parliament to amend what has been decided by the Industry Committee," he added.

Chin's nine-day joint ministerial mission, which ends today, is organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board and Malaysian Timber Council to address issues on palm oil and Malaysian timber with the stakeholders in Europe.