Biofuel quota (Law No. 3054/2002)
Updated: 17.01.2019
Author: Georgios Maroulis
Law No. 3054/2002 obliges producers and distributors of petrol and diesel to blend their fuels with a certain amount "quota" of biofuels. The mandatory quota is specified in the distribution scheme, which is reviewed every year (art. 15A par. 3 Law No. 3054/2002).
Eligible technologies
The obligation applies only to biofuels.
| Biofuels | The min. percentage of biodiesel is 7% (Adoption of the ΕΝ 590:2009 Standard by the National Chemical Council) (FEK B 67/2009). The National Chemical Council is responsible for defining the min. percentage of biodiesel (art.1 par.1 FEK B 253/2013). Blends with a higher content of biodiesel are generally eligible under the condition that the general rules of the State Chemical Council are respected and the higher blend is clearly labelled at the fuel stations to inform customers (art. 15A Law No. 3054/2002). Furthermore, since 01.01.2019, bioethanol or bio ethers from biological origin should be contained in all transport fuels. The percentage is set at 1% in 2019 and 3.3% from 2020 onwards (art. 15A par. 10 Law No. 3054/2002). |
|---|
Amount
| Amount of quota and period of application | The amount of distributed biodiesel (i.e. blended in) was set at 133,000 kilolitres in 2018 (FEK B 3081/2018). |
|---|---|
| Adjustment of quotas | The mandatory percentage of biodiesel is subject to an annual review by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance (art. 15A par. 7d Law No. 3054/2002). |
| Fees and penalty charges | A supplier who fails to fulfil the quota has to pay a fine (art. 15A par. 9, art. 17 par. 1 Law No. 3054/2002). |
Addressees
The quota obligation applies to companies which have a Biofuels Production Unit Operating Licence and to distributors that possess a Biofuels Distribution Licence. Apart from that, distributors must also possess the necessary storage facilities (art. 15A par. 5 Law No. 3054/2002).
Procedure
Process flow | As decided in 2012, a new scheme will be applicable or introduced in 2013, as stipulated in the amendments to Law No. 3054/2002 and in FEK B 253/2013. Every year by 30 November, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change defines the amount of biofuels to be distributed in the following year. Simultaneously, the Ministry invites all interested participants persons to take part in the distribution scheme (art. 15A par. 4 Law No. 3054/2002 in conjunction with art.1 FEK B 253/2013). An assessment committee, consisting of 3 representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance (one representative from each ministry), examines the applications (art. 15A par. 4b Law No. 3054/2002). The methodology, the distribution scheme, the quota assigned to each registered company and its monthly distribution are approved by the Ministry of Environment, and Energy and Climate Change, the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance by 31 December of every year (art. 15A par. 7 Law No. 3054/2002). |
|---|---|
Competent authority | Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Finance (art. 15A Law No. 3054/2002) |
Distribution of costs
| Consumers | The costs are borne by the consumers. |
|---|---|
| Distribution mechanism | The obliged companies pass on the costs arising from the quota obligation to the consumers by adding a surcharge to their fuel. |
Greece
