COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2022/1655

of 26 September 2022

recognising the report including information on the typical greenhouse gas emissions from the cultivation of soybean in Argentina under Article 31(3) and (4) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (1), and in particular Article 31(4) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Directive (EU) 2018/2001 sets out that biofuels, bioliquids, and biomass fuels have to save significant greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels so that they can be counted towards the targets set in that Directive. For this purpose, Article 29(10) sets specific emission savings thresholds for those fuels, and Article 31 regulates how to calculate the greenhouse gas emission savings from their use. When making those calculations, it is possible to use the default values set out in Annexes V and VI to Directive (EU) 2018/2001. Instead of the default values of greenhouse gas emissions from the cultivation of agricultural raw materials, it is possible to use typical values under some conditions. These typical values, representing the average value in a specific area, may be reported to the Commission by Member States or third countries. The typical values may only be used if the Commission recognises them to be accurate.

(2) On 16 February 2022, Argentina sent the Commission the final report with data for the purposes of measuring the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the cultivation of soybean typically produced in regions in Argentina equivalent to NUTS 2 (2) regions of the European Union, asking for the recognition of the accuracy of such data in line with Article 31(4) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001.

(3) The Commission assessed the report and found that it contains accurate data for the purposes of measuring the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the cultivation of soybean typically produced in regions in Argentina equivalent to NUTS 2 regions of the European Union.

(4) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on the Sustainability of Biofuels, Bioliquids and Biomass Fuels,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The report submitted for recognition to the Commission by Argentina on 16 February 2022 contains accurate data for the purposes of measuring the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the cultivation of soybean typically produced in regions in Argentina equivalent to NUTS 2 regions of the European Union, pursuant to Article 31(4) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001. The summary of the report’s data is set out in the Annex.

Article 2 The Decision is valid for a period of five years after the day of its entry into force. If the content of the report, as submitted for recognition to the Commission on 16 February 2022, changes in a way that might affect the basis of this Decision, such changes shall be notified to the Commission immediately. The Commission shall assess the notified changes to determine whether the report still provides accurate data for which it is recognised.

Article 3 The Commission may repeal this Decision if it has been clearly demonstrated that the report no longer contains accurate data for the purposes of measuring the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the cultivation of soybean produced in Argentina.

Article 4 This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 26 September 2022. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 82.

(2) NUTS is a classification system for EU territorial units for statistics.