Oil from tar sands could get the all clear, under proposed rules currently being considered by the EU Commission, despite the significantly greater damage it causes in comparison with oil from conventional sources.

The Commission's proposed rules on how to implement the EU fuel quality directive would fail to take account of the greenhouse gas emissions from tar sands oil across their lifecycle. Given these emissions are estimated to be up to three times higher than conventional oil, this would seriously undermine one of the main purposes of the fuel quality directive - reducing the carbon content of fuels in the EU.

An original proposal, following a consultation on the legislation, had included a default value for the lifecycle emissions of tar sands oil (p.17 of original draft), however this was subsequently removed.

With the debate still ongoing, a cross-party group of MEPs is set to write to the relevant commissioner, Climate Action Commissioner Hedegaard, to request that this default value be reinstated (read the letter). This would ensure that the true emissions of oil from tar sands would be taken into account.

The MEPs have indicated that they would block the proposed implementing rules, which are introduced under the comitology procedure, if the default values are not reinstated. The Commission is planning to put forward a proposal to member state governments before the summer break. If they back the plan, the European Parliament will have three months to approve or reject it.

Following revelations last month that tar sands oil is already making its way onto the European market, there is thankfully a greater political focus on the issue. This has reignited calls to ensure EU rules on fuel quality are tightened to prevent oil from tar sands finding its way into European fuel tanks.

Quite, apart from the increased climate damage, it is important to also recognise the environmental, social and health costs of tar sands oil and its extraction. The Commission must not bow to pressure from the oil industry (which is pushing for ever more dirty unconventional oil) and the Canadian government to allow this dirty and damaging fuel source.