Biofuel companies can either seek certification from one of these schemes or from a similar national scheme. Biofuels are part of the EU strategy to cut CO2 emissions.

Biofuels are also becoming increasingly popular due to increases in oil prices and government subsidies. In some countries they have replaced forests, harming biodiversity. They are also seen as rivals to food crops.

The Commission's new approved schemes are aimed at addressing such concerns and promoting use of biofuels in a sustainable, regulated way.

Each scheme will verify where and how biofuels are produced. Biofuels grown on land that used to be forest or wetland will no longer qualify.

The EU Energy Commissioner, Guenther Oettinger, said the potentially damaging side-effects of biofuel production were "a real concern... particularly in the big producing countries, south-east Asia and in South America".

The EU wants renewable energy - including biofuel - to have at least a 10% share of transport fuel by 2020.

Commission data shows that in 2007 about 26% of biodiesel and 31% of bioethanol used in the EU was imported. Most of the imports came from Brazil and the US.