dgerst
Champion Author
South Carolina
Posts:2,708
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Message Posted: Oct 24, 2011 8:54:28 AM
Canada warns EU on oil sands ranking plan (Reuters)
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada warned on Sunday it will “defend its interests” if the European Union (EU) goes through with a proposal to rank Canadian oil sands as a highly polluting fuel.
In a letter to EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger, Canadian Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver also said the European Commission’s Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) potentially violates the EU’s international trade obligations.
“Canada objects to policy measures that ignore evidence-based approaches to meet the stated goal of the FQD, in favor of what appears to be an asymmetrical and arbitrary proposal,” the letter said.
“If unjustified, discriminatory measures to implement the FQD are put in place, Canada will not hesitate to defend its interests.”
The letter is part of a broader push by Canada, the western province of Alberta and the energy industry to sway the EU from labeling the lucrative export as inherently dirty.
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