DGAP-News: CropEnergies: EU Remains Committed to Biofuels – Market for Sustainably Produced Bioethanol Is Growing Dynamically


CropEnergies AG / Statement

12.12.2008 

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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CropEnergies: EU Remains Committed to Biofuels – 
Market for Sustainably Produced Bioethanol Is Growing Dynamically
Mannheim, 12 December 2008 – CropEnergies AG, Mannheim, welcomes the
agreement reached between the Council of Ministers and the European
Parliament on the Directive for the Promotion of Renewable Energies. The EU
heads of state and heads of government confirmed this as an integral part
of the EU climate package on 12 December 2008 in Brussels. With this
decision the EU has set the framework for the market introduction of
biofuels in all 27 member states.

The core of the directive is a mandatory minimum 10% share of renewable
energies in the European transport sector. Besides reducing the dependence
on fossil fuels and strengthening domestic purchasing power, the
Bundesverband der Deutschen Bioethanolwirtschaft e.V., the German
Bioethanol Industry Association, estimates that this will reduce the
greenhouse gas emissions from petrol by at least 16 million tonnes per
year. The introduction of sustainability criteria in the EU also ensures
that in future only sustainably produced biofuels are used in the transport
sector. Biofuels are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at
least 35%, and from 2017 on by as much as 50%, compared to fossil fuels.
This directive strengthens the competitive position of European bioethanol
manufacturers which use sustainably produced raw materials.

Dr. Lutz Guderjahn, Member of the CropEnergies Executive Board, commented:
'The CropEnergies Group is excellently positioned in the European growth
market for sustainably produced bioethanol. The new plant in Wanze,
Belgium, which will be coming on stream in 2008 already meets the standards
the directive stipulates from 2017 on today with a greenhouse gas reduction
potential of up to 70%.'

It is expected that the EU decisions will have an important influence on
the parliamentary consultations in Germany.


The CropEnergies AG

The CropEnergies Group – a member of the Südzucker Group – is a leading
European producer of sustainably manufactured bioethanol for the fuel
sector.

'Crop' stands for 'creative regeneration of power'. Energy in the form of
bioethanol is produced from renewable resources – grain and sugar beets.
With subsidiaries in Germany, France, and Belgium, CropEnergies has
established itself in a growing market in just a few years. CropEnergies
considers itself a pioneer on the German bioethanol market and expands its
market position in Europe. The shares of CropEnergies AG (ISIN
DE000A0LAUP1) are listed in the Prime Standard at the Frankfurt Stock
Exchange.

Contact:
Tobias Erfurth
Investor Relations
Tel.: +49 (621) 71 41 90-30
Fax: +49 (621) 71 41 90-03
ir@cropenergies.de

Nadine Dejung
Public Relations / Marketing
Tel.: +49 (621) 71 41 90-65
Fax: +49 (621) 71 41 90-04
presse@cropenergies.de 


DGAP 12.12.2008 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       CropEnergies AG
              Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 12
              68165 Mannheim
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)621-71 41 90 00
Fax:          +49 (0)621-71 41 90 04
E-mail:       info@cropenergies.de
Internet:     www.cropenergies.de
ISIN:         DE000A0LAUP1
WKN:          A0LAUP
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
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