(71) The production of agricultural raw material for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels, and the incentives for their use provided for in this Directive, should not have effect of encouraging the destruction of biodiverse lands . Such finite resources, recognised in various international instruments to be of value to all mankind, should be preserved. It is therefore necessary to provide sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions savings criteria ensuring that biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels qualify for the incentives only when it is guaranteed that the agricultural raw material does not originate in biodiverse areas or, in the case of areas designated for nature protection purposes or for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems or species, the relevant competent authority demonstrates that the production of the agricultural raw material does not interfere with such purposes. Forests should be considered as biodiverse according to the sustainibility criteria, where they are primary forests in accordance with the definition used by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in its Global Forest Resource Assessment, or where they are protected by national nature protection law. Areas where the collection of non-wood forest products occurs should be considered to be biodiverse forests, provided the human impact is small. Other types of forests as defined by the FAO, such as modified natural forests, semi-natural forests and plantations, should not be considered as primary forests. Having regard, furthermore, to the highly biodiverse nature of certain grasslands, both temperate and tropical, including highly biodiverse savannahs, steppes, scrublands and prairies, biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels made from agricultural raw materials originating in such lands should not qualify for the incentives provided for by this Directive. The Commission should establish appropriate criteria to define such highly biodiverse grasslands in accordance with the best available scientific evidence and relevant international standards.

(71) The production of agricultural raw material for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels, and the incentives for their use provided for in this Directive, should not have , or encourage, a detrimental effect on biodiversity within or outside the Union . Such finite resources, recognised in various international instruments to be of value to all mankind, should be preserved. It is therefore necessary to provide sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions savings criteria ensuring that biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels qualify for the incentives only when it is guaranteed that the agricultural raw material does not originate in biodiverse areas or, in the case of areas designated for nature protection purposes or for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems or species, the relevant competent authority demonstrates that the production of the agricultural raw material does not interfere with such purposes. Forests should be considered as biodiverse according to the sustainibility criteria, where they are primary forests in accordance with the definition used by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in its Global Forest Resource Assessment, or where they are protected by national nature protection law. Areas where the collection of non-wood forest products occurs should be considered to be biodiverse forests, provided the human impact is small. Other types of forests as defined by the FAO, such as modified natural forests, semi-natural forests and plantations, should not be considered as primary forests. However, biodiversity, as well as the quality, health, viability and vitality of such forests should be guaranteed. Having regard, furthermore, to the highly biodiverse nature of certain grasslands, both temperate and tropical, including highly biodiverse savannahs, steppes, scrublands and prairies, biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels made from agricultural raw materials originating in such lands should not qualify for the incentives provided for by this Directive. The Commission should establish appropriate criteria to define such highly biodiverse grasslands in accordance with the best available scientific evidence and relevant international standards.