WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/DEU/10 
30 October 2009  
 (09-5412) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  GERMANY
  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:   
Federal Ministry of Finance 
Division III B 6 Am Propsthof 78a 53121 Bonn 
Fax: + 49 (0) 228 682 4368 
E-Mail: IIIB6@bmf.bund.de 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above :    
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicab le, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):  Biofuels and fossil fuels 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:  Verordnung über 
Anforderungen an eine nachhaltige Hers tellung von Biokraftstoffen (Biokraftstoff-
Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung – Biokraft-NachV) Ordinance on Requirements Pertaining to 
Sustainable Production of Biofuels (31 pages, in German).  
6. Description of content:  In the past, biofuel production has been responsible for 
considerable environmental damage (involving  such activities as slash-and-burn clearing of 
rain forests, and such impacts as loss of bi odiversity). The notified ordinance is aimed at 
ensuring that biofuels, eligible for tax reli ef under section 50 of the Energy Tax Act (ETA) 
or the quota set forth in the Federal Immission Control Act (FICA), are always produced in 
full compliance with binding EU-provisions fo r ecological sustainability. Consequently, 
biofuels that are produced in non-sustainable wa ys will in future no longer be eligible for 
the tax relief under section 50 of the ETA or the quota set forth in the FICA. This will ensure that intensified energy-related use of  biomass does not have undesirable impacts on 
natural systems and climate.  
As of 1 July 2010, therefore, eligibility (with re gard to biofuels) for tax relief under section 
50 of the ETA or the quota set forth in the FICA will be tied to compliance with specific 
requirements pertaining to sustainable management of agricultural land and to conservation 
of landscapes worthy of special protection. Furthermore, biofuels eligible for tax relief under section 50 of the ETA or the quota set forth in the FICA must show a specified potential, in light of the entire relevant va lue-creation chain, for reducing greenhouse-gas  G/TBT/N/DEU/10 
Page 2  
 
  emissions. These requirements conform to the standardised European requirements 
approved by the European Union in Directive 2009/28/EC (G/TBT/N/EEC/200). In addition, the Ordinance will establish effective private-economic certification and control systems that guarantee compliance with the prescr ibed provisions, throughout all parts of 
the value-creation chain, and that enable all stakeholders to review the quality of their 
goods clearly and completely, at all times. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the natu re of urgent problems where applicable:  
see above  
8. Relevant documents:   
- Biomasseverordnung vom 21. Juni 2001 (BGBl. I S. 1234), geändert durch Artikel 1 der 
Verordnung vom 9. August 2005 (BGBl. I S. 2419) (Biomass Ordinance of 21 June 2001 (Feder al Law Gazette I p. 1234), as amended by 
Article 1 of the Ordinance of 9 August 2005 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 2419)), 
- Bundesdatenschutzgesetz in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 14. Januar 2003 
(BGBl. I S. 66), zuletzt geändert durch Artikel 1 des Gesetzes vom 14. August 2009 (BGBl. I S. 2814) (Federal Data Protection Act as announced on 14  January 2003 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 
66), as last amended by Article 1 of the Act of 14 August 2009 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 
2814)), 
- Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz in der Fass ung der Bekanntmachung vom 26. September 
2002 (BGBl. I S. 3830), zuletzt geändert dur ch Artikel 2 des Gesetzes vom 11. August 2009 
(BGBl. I S. 1273) (Federal Immission Control Act as announced on 26 September 2002 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 3830), as last amended by Article 2 of the Act of 11 August 2009 (Federal Law Gazette 
I p. 1273)), 
- Energiesteuergesetz vom 15. Juli 2006 (BGBl.  I S. 1534), zuletzt geändert durch Gesetz 
vom 17. Juli 2009 (BGBl. I S. 2444) (Energy Taxation Act of 15 July 2006 (Federal  Law Gazette I p. 1534), as last amended by 
the Act of 17 July 2009 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 1534)), 
- Umweltauditgesetz in der Fassung der Beka nntmachung vom 4. September 2002 (BGBl. I 
S. 3490), zuletzt geändert durch Artikel 11 des Gesetzes vom 17. März 2008 (BGBl. I S. 
399) (Eco-management and Audit Scheme Act as announced on 4 September 2002 (Federal Law 
Gazette I p. 3490), as last amended by Article  11 of the Act of 17 March 2008 (Federal Law 
Gazette I p. 399)), 
- Umweltinformationsgesetz vom 22. Dezember 2004 (BGBl. I S. 3704) 
(Environmental Information Act of 22 Decemb er 2004 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 3704)), 
- Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz in der F assung der Bekanntmac hung vom 23. Januar 2003 
(BGBl. I S. 102), zuletzt geändert durch Artikel 2 Absatz 1 des Gesetzes vom 14. August 2009 (BGBl. I S. 2827) 
(Administrative Procedures Act as announced on 23 January 2003 (Federal Law Gazette I 
p. 102), as last amended by Article 2 paragr aph 1 of the Act of 14 August 2008 (Federal 
Law Gazette I p. 2827)), 
- Biomassestrom-Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung vom 23. Juli 2009 (BGBl. I S. 2174) 
(Biomass-electricity-sustainability-ordinance of 23 Juli 2009 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 
2174)  G/TBT/N/DEU/10 
 Page 3 
 
 
  - Verordnung (EG) Nr. 761/2001 des Europäischen  Parlaments und des Rates vom 19. März 
2001 über die freiwillige Beteili gung von Organisationen an einem Gemeinschaftssystem 
für das Umweltmanagement und die Umweltbet riebsprüfung (EMAS) (ABl. EG Nr. L 114 
S. 1) (Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 
2001 allowing voluntary participation by or ganisations in a Community eco-management 
and audit scheme (EMAS) (OJ L 114 of 24 April 2001, p. 1)), 
- Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1698/2005 des Rates vom 20. September 2005 über die Förderung 
der Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums durch den Europäischen  Landwirtschaftsfonds für 
die Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums (ABl. EG Nr. L 277 S. 1) 
(Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20  September 2005 on support for rural 
development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (OJ L 277 of 21 October 2005, p. 1)), 
- Verordnung (EG) Nummer 73/2009 des Rates vom 19. Januar 2009 mit gemeinsamen 
Regeln für Direktzahlungen im Rahmen der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik und mit 
bestimmten Stützungsregelungen für Inhaber landwirtschaftlicher Betriebe (ABl. L 30 vom 
31.1.2009, S. 16) (Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 of 19 January 2009 establishing common rules for 
direct support schemes for farmers under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers (OJ L 30 of 31 January 2009, p. 16)), 
- Richtlinie 2009/28/EG des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates vom 23. April 2009 
zur Förderung der Nutzung von Energie aus erneuerbaren Quellen und zur Änderung und anschließenden Aufhebung der Richtlinien 2001/77/EG und 2003/30/EG (ABl. L 140 vom 
5.6.2009, S. 16) (Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parlia ment and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on 
the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently 
repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC  (OJ L 140 of 5 June 2009, p. 16)), 
- Europäische Norm EN 45011, Guides ISO 65:1996, ISO/IEC 60:2004, ISO 19011:2002 
(European Standard EN 45011, Guides ISO 65: 1996, ISO/IEC 60: 2004, ISO 19011: 2002). 
- Internationales Übereinkommen über Feucht gebiete, insbesondere als Lebensraum für 
Wasser- und Watvögel von internationa ler Bedeutung vom 2. Februar 1971 
(International Convention on Wetla nds of International Importanc e Especially as Waterfowl 
Habitat of 2 February 1971), 
- Übereinkommen über technische Handels hemmnisse (ABl. EG Nr. L 336 vom 
23.12.1994, S. 68) 
(Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (OJ L 336 of 23 December 1994, p. 68)). 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:      - 
2 November 2009; applicable to biofuels put 
into circulation not before 1 July 2010 
10. Final date for comments:  A 60 day deadline for comments from date of notification. G/TBT/N/DEU/10 
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  11. Text available from: National enquiry po int [  ], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:    
German Federal Law Gazette 2009 I p. 3182 
http://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/ nn_3380/sid_A42DBF748E 549730FF66A8013DC
6F2BC/nsc_true/DE/Buergerinnen__und__B uerger/Mobilitaet__und__Reisen/090915__Bi
okraftstoff.html?__nnn=true   
And can also be downloaded here: 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2009/tbt/deu/09_3816_00_x.pdf