Oilsands dispute between Canada and EU brewing
Posted Feb 21, 2012 7:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Canada is threatening to take the European Union to the World Trade Organization in a bid to protect the oilsands industry.
The threat was contained in a letter written in December by Canada’s ambassador to the European Union.
Later this week, European nations are expected to vote on what’s called a new Fuel Quality Directive.
The legislation aims to curb emissions from transport fuels by 10 per cent, by assigning different carbon values to the various sources of fossil fuels.
Oilsands bitumen would be given a high carbon value.
Even though Canada sells very little of its energy to Europe, the Federal government and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers wants to make sure the label “dirty oil” is not attached to the oilsands.
The Executive director of Sierra Club Canada, John Bennett, tells 660News Europe has every right to establish its own greenhouse gas emissions program and say “no” to the oilsands if it chooses too.
The environmental group Friends of the Earth obtained the letter written by Canada’s Ambassador to the European Union.
David Plunkett writes Canada will explore every avenue at its disposal to defend its interests including the World Trade Organization.
