6.

Article 18 is amended as follows: (a) the following paragraphs are inserted: ‘2a. Eurostat shall gather and publish detailed trade related information on biofuels produced from food crops, such as those based on cereals and other starch rich crops, sugars and oil crops. Available information shall be disaggregated trade data for both ethanol and biodiesel as current data is published in an aggregated format with ethanol and biodiesel imports and exports combined under one data set labelled biofuels. Import and export data shall identify the type and volumes of biofuels imported and consumed by Member States. Data shall also include the country of origin or the country exporting those products into the Union. Data on the import and export of biofeedstock or semi-processed products shall be improved with Eurostat gathering and publishing information on import or export of feedstocks, type and country of origin, including internally traded feedstocks or semi-traded feedstocks. [Am. 98] 2b. Eurostat shall gather and publish detailed employment information on the numbers, duration and salaries associated with direct, indirect and induced employment generated by the Union's biofuels industry. The Commission should develop an agreed methodology for measuring jobs which should systematically assess and monitor employment levels in member states and at Union level. Employment figures should be disaggregated by ethanol and biodiesel sectors and clearing identifying the location of the job within the biofuel supply chain. Currently biofuel employment data is not included in official statistics with the employment estimates available to policy-makers varying depending on the underlying definition or methodology adopted by the particular study, the job counting approach applied, and the extent to which studies link agricultural activity to the biofuels industry. A formal process requiring employment figures to be supported by underlying data and transparent assumptions would improve the availability of information.’ [Am. 99] (b) in paragraph 4, the first and second subparagraphs are replaced by the following: ‘4. The Union shall endeavour to conclude bilateral or multilateral agreements with third countries containing mandatory commitments on provisions on sustainability criteria that correspond to those of this Directive. Such agreements should also set out rules in order to ensure that third countries' customs procedures do not lead to fraud related to the import and export of biofuels and bioliquids, as well as on provisions on trade facilitation. The Union shall also endeavour to conclude agreements with third countries containing commitments on the ratification and enforcement of ILO Conventions and MEAs as referred to in Article 17(7). Where the Union has concluded agreements containing mandatory commitments on provisions relating to matters covered by the sustainability criteria set out in Article 17(2) to (7), the Commission may decide that those agreements demonstrate that biofuels and bioliquids produced from raw materials cultivated in those countries comply with the sustainability criteria in question. When those agreements are concluded, due consideration shall be given to measures taken for the conservation of areas that provide, in critical situations, basic ecosystem services (such as watershed protection and erosion control), for soil, water and air protection, indirect land-use changes, the restoration of degraded land, the avoidance of excessive water consumption in areas where water is scarce and to the issues referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 17(7). [Am. 100] The Commission may shall decide whether voluntary national or international schemes setting standards for the production of biomass products contain accurate data for the purposes of Article 17(2) or demonstrate that consignments of biofuel or bioliquid comply with the sustainability criteria set out in Article 17(3) to (5) (5a), and whether any materials have been intentionally modified in order to be covered by points (i) to (iii) of Article 3(4)(e) . The Commission may decide that those schemes contain accurate data for the purposes of information on measures taken for the conservation of areas that provide, in critical situations, basic ecosystem services (such as watershed protection and erosion control), for soil, water and air protection, the restoration of degraded land, the avoidance of excessive water consumption in areas where water is scarce and on the issues referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 17(7). The Commission may also recognise areas for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems or species recognised by international agreements or included in lists drawn up by intergovernmental organisations or the International Union for the Conservation of Nature for the purposes of Article 17 (3)(b) (ii). [Am. 101] The Commission and the Member States shall ensure the mutual recognition of verification schemes safeguarding the compliance with the sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids, where the schemes concerned have been established in accordance with this Directive.’ [Am. 102] (c) the following paragraph is added: ‘9a. By [three years after entry into force of this Directive], the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council reviewing the operation of voluntary schemes for which a decision under paragraph 4 has been adopted and identifying best practices. The report shall be based on the best information available, including from consultation with stakeholders, and shall be based on practical experience in the application of the schemes. The report shall take into account the evolution of relevant internationally recognised standards and guidelines, including those developed by the International Organization for Standardization and the ISEAL Alliance. In relation to each scheme, the report shall analyse, inter alia, the following: — independency, modality and frequency of audits; — availability and experience in the application of methods for identifying and dealing with non-compliance; — transparency, particularly in relation to the accessibility of the scheme, the availability of translations in the official languages of the countries and regions from which raw materials originate, accessibility of a list of certified operators and relative certificates, accessibility of auditor reports; — stakeholders' involvement, particularly as regards the consultation of indigenous and local communities during the drafting and reviewing of the scheme as well as during audits; — overall robustness of the scheme, particularly in light of rules on the accreditation, qualification and independence of auditors and relevant scheme bodies; — market update of the scheme. The Commission shall, if appropriate in light of the report, submit a proposal to the European Parliament and the Council to modify the criteria listed in Article 18(5).’ [Am. 103]