To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of progress at EU level on the development of mandatory sustainability criteria for biofuels. (289775)

The EU Renewable Energy Directive, published in June this year, includes mandatory sustainability criteria for biofuels. The directive is subject to a comitology process which will include clarifying key aspects within the sustainability criteria for biofuels; we expect these discussions to take place towards the end of this year. The directive is due to be transposed into national law by December 2010.