The Canadian government has not yet given up its fight against a wide-ranging clean fuel law that could be only weeks away from European Union approval.

"We definitely don't think we've lost," Canadian energy minister Joe Oliver told Reuters on Tuesday. "This is far from over."

The EU's executive commission decided in early October to move forward with legislation known as the Fuel Quality Directive.

It was a move that showed the world that policymakers were "standing up for cleaner fuels and a low carbon future," British green advocacy group the Co-operative said at the time.

In its current form, the Directive acknowledges that fuel from Alberta's oil sands has a bigger carbon footprint than many other fuel sources.

Canadian officials are in the midst of a fierce lobbying offensive to have that language removed, believing that a legal precedent in Europe could be copied around the world.

"We don't want the potential stigmatization and we're quite concerned about that issue," Oliver reportedly said.

Canada is not fighting Europe's climate legislation alone. As EU member states debate the Directive in anticipation of a final decision by year's end, some of the world's biggest oil companies, including Shell, BP and Total, are speaking out against it.

The legislation would have "no benefit for the environment as the oil sands crude and products will be sold elsewhere anyway,” a BP spokesperson wrote in an email to the Globe and Mail.

Others, such as Greenpeace International campaigner Tzeporah Berman disagree, arguing the Directive is an "incredibly important" first step against global warming.

The Tyee reported Tuesday that Berman is now slamming former B.C. premier Gordon Campbell, once a close ally, for his key role in Canada's European oil sands offensive.

Geoff Dembicki reports on energy and climate issues for The Tyee.