Bulgaria Is Falling Behind National Biofuel Targets - Audit Office

Bulgaria's National Audit Office has cautioned in a report that the country is falling to meet biofuel production and use targets.

According to an audit of the implementation of the EU biofuel production and use targets in the period January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2012, Bulgaria is also delaying the adoption of legally enshrined sustainability criteria for biofuels, the country's annual consumption of biofuels is low, and the growth rate of the biofuel share has decelerated.

According to the report, Bulgaria needs to take urgent steps to introduce an appropriate mechanism to observe the sustainability criteria for biofuels, despite the fact that the country is to report on the fulfillment of national biofuel targets in 2020.

The sustainability criteria for biofuels will be effective if the compliant market participants are awarded a price premium as an incentive, according to Bulgaria's National Audit Office.

In order to comply with EU rules, Bulgaria has set itself the following mandatory national biofuel targets: 10% share of renewables and biofuels in transport and 6% share of the total greenhouse gas savings, taking into account only biofuels and liquid fuels for transport that match established sustainability criteria.

According to the audit, the delayed adoption of legally enshrined sustainability criteria for biofuels until January 2013 has had a negative impact on the achievement of national targets.

Bulgaria's national target for 2010 has not been met, just as the intermediate targets for 2010 and 2011.

The consumption of biofuels in 2011 was low and the growth rate of the biocomponent in liquid fuels decelerated, according to the report.

Bulgaria failed to account for the biofuel consumption in the...