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Andrew

Biofuels get European backing

an Article that first appeared in the St Albans News of October 2003

Reform of Europe's Common Agricultural Policy opens up a real chance to develop clean fuel and bio-products. St Albans's Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff is backing moves to allow typical biomass and bioenergy crops such as sugar and rape to be diverted from food to fuel production. "Straw and coppice willow are already being quite widely used to generate electricity. Hemp should also be grown as a biomass product for house-building and textiles," says Duff.

"We can create a virtuous circle in green energy. This region is ideally placed to profit from it." Andrew Duff blames the British government for its reluctance to back biofuel and biomass production, with the result that the UK has fallen way behind continental practice. "Europe once again takes the lead in clean and progressive policies. Gordon Brown should give more tax breaks for farmers who want to move from food to fuel production. I am meeting soon with British Sugar to explore ways to develop new products and new markets."

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Andrew's work
in the European Parliament since 1999

Andrew is Vice-President of the European Parliament delegation to the Constitutional Convention on the Future of Europe.

Rights for EU citizens

Andrew drafted the Charter of Fundamental Rights which has strengthened the rights of all the citizens of the European Union.

Turkey

Andrew is working for improved links between the EU and Turkey, to encourage improvements in Turkey's human rights record and to enhance its democracy.

Andrew's campaigning in the East of England

Airport Expansion

Andrew has led calls for the Air Travel industry to be subjected to the same rigorous environmental criteria as other modes of transport