The European Union is considering a proposal on high-carbon fuels that could eventually make it easier to import crude derived from Alberta's oilsands.

The proposal comes after five years of lobbying by the industry and Alberta and federal governments, and is being called a major concession by environmental groups.

"This measure will do nothing to stop climate-wrecking fuels like tarsands from entering the EU market," Greenpeace spokeswoman Franziska Achterberg said in a statement.

"It will fail to meet the law's objective of cleaning up Europe's transport fuels."

But an industry spokesman said the revised fuel quality directive is fairer and will help increase European energy security.

"From our perspective, it does come in line with the principles we put forward," said Greg Stringham of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

The proposal relates to changes to the EU's fuel-quality directive, first tabled in 2009 as a way to discourage the import and use of high-carbon fuels.

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