Energy, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Oil

Thus, the European Commission's implementing decree stays in force, which also means that Estonia's interests are protected, the Public Broadcasting stated.

Before the vote, the European Parliament's Environment Committee had rejected the directive in this form, criticising it that production of diesel fuel from oil shale is as compared to producing diesel from oil, much more resource-intensive, and thus more harmful for the environment.

Eesti Energia Development Department Manager Indrek Aarna said this morning, that if the decision was to be negative to Estonia, it would not affect the oil shale industry today, but in the future.

"We produce raw oil shale oil and sell it for heating oil and ship fuel. The Directive relates to motor fuels, that today are not produced of Estonian oil shale," said Aarna.

A negative decision would have affected future plans, since Eesti Energia as well as VKG have a plan to build a shale oil refinery that would produce diesel fuel from shale oil.