Alberta calls EU oilsands label unfair
Posted Oct 22, 2011 7:21 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The government of Alberta is calling the European Union’s stand on the oilsands ‘unfair’ and a potential threat to trade ties.
Alberta officials have written to EU experts, voicing “grave concerns” over plans to rank unconventional oil as a highly polluting fuel.
With the letter, Alberta joins Ottawa and the oil industry in an effort to sway the EU from labelling the oilsands as dirty.
Canada doesn’t export oilsands crude to Europe but there are concerns that tagging the supply as much more carbon-intensive than other crudes could set a costly precedent for current or potential markets.
The oilsands debate coincides with talks between Canada and the European Union on a proposed free-trade deal.
