Biodiesel – EU UCOME imports remain high despite punitive tariffs
China retains position as leading supplier – UFOP calls for effective fraud prevention measures:
Since February 2025, the EU-27 has imposed duties on biodiesel imports from China, ranging from 10 to 35.6 per cent, depending on the feedstock base. Nevertheless, pressure from Chinese imports remains strong.
According to EUROSTAT, imports of UCOME-based biodiesel (UCOME – Used Cooking Oil Methyl Ester) from third countries totalled 1.04 million tonnes between January and June 2025. This represents a year-on-year increase of 223,335 tonnes, or just over one fifth. The ranking of the top five supplier countries remained unchanged: China continued to lead, followed by the UK, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.
However, the share of individual countries in EU imports shifted significantly in some cases. China increased its share of total third-country imports to 41 per cent in the first six months of 2025, delivering approximately 431,343 tonnes. This nearly doubled the volume recorded in the same period in 2024, when imports stood at roughly 217,300 tonnes, representing a share of 25 per cent.
In contrast, imports from several other non-EU countries declined noticeably. According to research by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), Malaysia’s deliveries dropped 44 per cent year-on-year, reaching 81,000 tonnes. Imports from the UK fell 8 per cent to 83,250 tonnes. Russian deliveries plunged just over one third. Meanwhile, UCOME imports from Saudi Arabia and Argentina rose 30 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
In light of these statistics, the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP) has pointed out the continued need to tighten certification requirements and toughen on-site inspections. With the introduction of the EU database, all economic operators in the EU, Asia and North and South America must now be recorded. Additionally, producers of so-called “advanced” biofuels are also required to register. The UFOP has noted that Article 28(6) of RED II explicitly provides for this procedural identification requirement. However, the association has criticised the European Commission for failing to enforce this rule when approving certification schemes. The association argues that when a plausibility check of a sustainability certificate indicates potential fraud, a clearly defined administrative procedure should be triggered at the EU level, under the responsibility of the Commission.
This measure should not be limited to biofuels derived from waste and residues. It should also apply to the use of break crops and plants grown on degraded land for biofuel production, as permitted by the Commission. The UFOP has cited the controversial case of the Italian oil group ENI, which processes sunflower seed sourced from so-called degraded land in Congo – a practice the UFOP deems agriculturally questionable.
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Biodiesel – EU UCOME imports remain high despite punitive tariffs, source
