Brazilian president urges end to biofuel barriers
Sunday, 23 November 2008
SAO PAULO, Nov 22 (AFP): Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva yesterday demanded an end to protectionist barriers on ethanol and biodiesel trade as the first international conference on biofuels wrapped up here.
"We hope that the growth of biofuels will not be slowed down by protectionist barriers hidden under any given pretext," said Lula in his closing speech at the conference that opened on Monday in Sao Paulo.
Oil does not face similar import tariffs. But the plummeting price of oil in recent weeks has cast a shadow over prospects of boosting exports of ethanol, a fuel derived from processing organic materials.
Lower gasoline prices undermine the argument for biofuels.
The Brazilian president expressed confidence that trade barriers to sugarcane-based ethanol will be eliminated, recalling that "in the fight against global recession, leaders of the G20 advanced and emerging economies who met in Washington (on November 15) committed to successfully conclude the Doha round" on world trade liberalization.
Brazil, the second-largest producer of ethanol after the United States, is keen to see the fuel used more frequently in vehicles around the world.
Officials from 44 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas attended the five-day conference in the Brazilian capital to discuss issues of development, food security, trade and climate change.
"We hope that the growth of biofuels will not be slowed down by protectionist barriers hidden under any given pretext," said Lula in his closing speech at the conference that opened on Monday in Sao Paulo.
Oil does not face similar import tariffs. But the plummeting price of oil in recent weeks has cast a shadow over prospects of boosting exports of ethanol, a fuel derived from processing organic materials.
Lower gasoline prices undermine the argument for biofuels.
The Brazilian president expressed confidence that trade barriers to sugarcane-based ethanol will be eliminated, recalling that "in the fight against global recession, leaders of the G20 advanced and emerging economies who met in Washington (on November 15) committed to successfully conclude the Doha round" on world trade liberalization.
Brazil, the second-largest producer of ethanol after the United States, is keen to see the fuel used more frequently in vehicles around the world.
Officials from 44 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas attended the five-day conference in the Brazilian capital to discuss issues of development, food security, trade and climate change.