FEDIAF disappointed that vital ingredients have not been protected in the FuelEU Maritime legislation.

Home>News & events>News>FEDIAF disappointed that vital ingredients have not been protected in the FuelEU Maritime legislation.

19 October 2022: FEDIAF, EuropeanPetFood, strongly regrets that the European Parliament is proceeding with the FuelEU Maritime legislation that does not exclude the use of Category 3 animal fats as shipping fuel. Primarily by-products of human food processing, Category 3 fats are critical to providing companion animals with safe and nutritious food. The failure to exclude the use of animal by-products in biofuels compounds the lack of provisions in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and ReFuel Aviation proposal in recent months. 

Rosa Carbonell, President of FEDIAF, adds: “We are extremely disappointed that the Pet Food Sector has been disregarded in this vote.    These decisions have unintended consequences that put price, sustainability and supply pressure on the pet food industry and ultimately, on European consumers at a time when they are already facing challenging times with the rapidly rising cost of living.”

FEDIAF believes that food, which is not intended for human consumption, should be recycled first in pet food, which sits well above energy use in the EU’s own hierarchy of options for food waste disposal before being used as biofuels.  Importantly, there is an alternative available for maritime fuels. Impact assessment has shown that Category 3 animal by-products are not a necessary element for decarbonisation in the maritime fuel sector. Category 1&2 animal fats, which do not meet pet food safety standards, are available and more suitable for use as biofuels.

Category 3 fats are already in short supply and cannot be easily replaced.  However, the industry will be forced to look for alternatives, which are unlikely to be as sustainable in terms of nutrition, safety, and environmental footprint. FEDIAF’s members already embrace an impressive circular business model by using Category 3 animal fats in their key pet food products in accordance with the waste hierarchy. The industry wholeheartedly supports decarbonization of transport but that should not be at the expense of food security.

Rosa concludes: “The EU’s pet food sector serves over 300 million companion animals in Europe each year and provides direct (and indirect) employment to more than 1 million European citizens. As an industry we will continue to raise awareness of the need to protect pet food ingredients, such as Category 3 animal fats, which are vital to our industry.  Sadly, in addition to being an environmentally and economically detrimental practice, this decision is likely to impact on animal health and welfare, Pet food should be for pets – and not be poured into fuel tanks.”

ENDS

About FEDIAF

FEDIAF represents the interests of 15 European national pet food associations, together with five pet food manufacturers operating in Europe. FEDIAF members provide safe products that benefit pets and society. FEDIAF believes that pet ownership can enhance the lives of all Europeans. Today there are 90 million European households benefitting from the love and companionship of their 300+ million pets.  In Europe, there are an estimated 110,000 people directly employed and 950,000 indirectly employed throughout the pet food industry. FEDIAF is the voice of the European pet food industry.

For more information:

Contact Alice Tempel Costa, Technical Director

FEDIAF – European Pet Food

Rue de l’Industrie 11,

Box 10, B – 1000 Brussels

Email: fediaf@fediaf.org

www.europeanpetfood.org