EU committee votes to cut biofuels target

EU lawmakers have voted to scale back ambitious biofuels targets, cutting the goal for use of crop-based fuel by half to 5 percent of road transport needs by 2020.

The vote by the European Parliament's industry committee deals a blow to a climate change package agreed to by EU governments meant to meet international promises to cut carbon dioxide emissions. Environmental and aid groups had criticized the EU's 10 percent biofuels use target, claiming it harmed efforts to fight global poverty.

The EU lawmakers, during a committee vote Thursday, pushed EU governments to move away from so-called first generation biofuels, which use food crops to make transport fuels, and rather use electric and hydrogen powered vehicles.

The vote is important because the EU assembly has a veto over the package.