Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 30 U.K. Verification of compliance with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria

1. Where biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels, or other fuels that are eligible for counting towards the numerator referred to in point (b) of Article 27(1), are to be taken into account for the purposes referred to in Articles 23 and 25 and in points (a), (b) and (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 29(1), Member States shall require economic operators to show that the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7) and (10) have been fulfilled. For those purposes, they shall require economic operators to use a mass balance system which:

(a) allows consignments of raw material or fuels with differing sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving characteristics to be mixed for instance in a container, processing or logistical facility, transmission and distribution infrastructure or site;

(b) allows consignments of raw material with differing energy content to be mixed for the purposes of further processing, provided that the size of consignments is adjusted according to their energy content;

(c) requires information about the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving characteristics and sizes of the consignments referred to in point (a) to remain assigned to the mixture; and

(d) provides for the sum of all consignments withdrawn from the mixture to be described as having the same sustainability characteristics, in the same quantities, as the sum of all consignments added to the mixture and requires that this balance be achieved over an appropriate period of time.

The mass balance system shall ensure that each consignment is counted only once in point (a), (b) or (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 7(1) for the purposes of calculating the gross final consumption of energy from renewable sources and shall include information on whether support has been provided for the production of that consignment, and if so, on the type of support scheme.

2. Where a consignment is processed, information on the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving characteristics of the consignment shall be adjusted and assigned to the output in accordance with the following rules:

(a) when the processing of a consignment of raw material yields only one output that is intended for the production of biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels, renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin, or recycled carbon fuels, the size of the consignment and the related quantities of sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving characteristics shall be adjusted applying a conversion factor representing the ratio between the mass of the output that is intended for such production and the mass of the raw material entering the process;

(b) when the processing of a consignment of raw material yields more than one output that is intended for the production of biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels, renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin, or recycled carbon fuels, for each output a separate conversion factor shall be applied and a separate mass balance shall be used.

3. Member States shall take measures to ensure that economic operators submit reliable information regarding the compliance with the greenhouse gas emissions savings thresholds set in, and adopted pursuant to, Article 25(2), and with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7) and (10), and that economic operators make available to the relevant Member State, upon request, the data that were used to develop the information. Member States shall require economic operators to arrange for an adequate standard of independent auditing of the information submitted, and to provide evidence that this has been done. In order to comply with point (a) of Article 29(6) and point (a) of Article 29(7), the first or second party auditing may be used up to the first gathering point of the forest biomass. The auditing shall verify that the systems used by economic operators are accurate, reliable and protected against fraud, including verification ensuring that materials are not intentionally modified or discarded so that the consignment or part thereof could become a waste or residue. It shall evaluate the frequency and methodology of sampling and the robustness of the data.

The obligations laid down in this paragraph shall apply regardless of whether the biofuels, bioliquids, biomass fuels, renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin, or recycled carbon fuels are produced within the Union or are imported. Information about the geographic origin and feedstock type of biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels per fuel supplier shall be made available to consumers on the websites of operators, suppliers or the relevant competent authorities and shall be updated on an annual basis.

Member States shall submit to the Commission, in aggregated form, the information referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph. The Commission shall publish that information on the e-reporting platform referred to in Article 28 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in summary form preserving the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information.

4. The Commission may decide that voluntary national or international schemes setting standards for the production of biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels, or other fuels that are eligible for counting towards the numerator referred to in point (b) of Article 27(1), provide accurate data on greenhouse gas emission savings for the purposes of Article 25(2) and Article 29(10), demonstrate compliance with Article 27(3) and Article 28(2) and (4), or demonstrate that consignments of biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels comply with the sustainability criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7). When demonstrating that the criteria laid down in Article 29(6) and (7) are met, the operators may provide the required evidence directly at sourcing area level. The Commission may recognise areas for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems or species recognised by international agreements or included in lists drawn up by intergovernmental organisations or the International Union for the Conservation of Nature for the purposes of point (c)(ii) of the first subparagraph of Article 29(3).

The Commission may decide that those schemes contain accurate information on measures taken for soil, water and air protection, for the restoration of degraded land, for the avoidance of excessive water consumption in areas where water is scarce, and for certification of biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels with low indirect land-use change-risk.

5. The Commission shall adopt decisions under paragraph 4 of this Article by means of implementing acts. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(3). Such decisions shall be valid for a period of no more than five years.

The Commission shall require that each voluntary scheme on which a decision has been adopted under paragraph 4 submit annually by 30 April a report to the Commission covering each of the points [X1 set out in Annex XI to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.] The report shall cover the preceding calendar year. The requirement to submit a report shall apply only to voluntary schemes that have operated for at least 12 months.

The Commission shall make the reports drawn up by the voluntary schemes available, in an aggregated form or in full if appropriate, on the e-reporting platform referred to in Article 28 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.

6. Member States may set up national schemes where compliance with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7) and (10) and with the greenhouse gas emissions savings thresholds for renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin and recycled carbon fuels set in, and adopted pursuant to, Article 25(2) and in accordance with Article 28(5) is verified throughout the entire chain of custody involving competent national authorities.

A Member State may notify such a national scheme to the Commission. The Commission shall give priority to the assessment of such a scheme in order to facilitate mutual bilateral and multilateral recognition of schemes for verification of compliance with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels and with the greenhouse gas emissions savings thresholds for other fuels that are eligible for counting towards the numerator referred to in point (b) of Article 27(1). The Commission may decide, by means of implementing acts, whether such a notified national scheme complies with the conditions laid down in this Directive. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(3).

Where the decision is positive, schemes established in accordance with this Article shall not refuse mutual recognition with that Member State's scheme, as regards verification of compliance with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7) and (10) and the greenhouse gas emissions savings thresholds set in, and adopted pursuant to, Article 25(2).

7. The Commission shall adopt decisions under paragraph 4 of this Article only if the scheme in question meets adequate standards of reliability, transparency and independent auditing and provides adequate assurances that no materials have been intentionally modified or discarded so that the consignment or part thereof would fall under Annex IX. In the case of schemes to measure greenhouse gas emissions savings, such schemes shall also comply with the methodological requirements set out in Annex V or VI. Lists of areas of high biodiversity value as referred to in point (c)(ii) of the first subparagraph of Article 29(3) shall meet adequate standards of objectivity and coherence with internationally recognised standards and provide for appropriate appeal procedures.

The voluntary schemes referred to in paragraph 4 shall, at least annually, publish a list of their certification bodies used for independent auditing, indicating for each certification body by which entity or national public authority it was recognised and which entity or national public authority is monitoring it.

8. In order to ensure that compliance with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria as well as with the provisions on low or high direct and indirect land-use change-risk biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels is verified in an efficient and harmonised manner and in particular to prevent fraud, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts specifying detailed implementing rules, including adequate standards of reliability, transparency and independent auditing and require all voluntary schemes to apply those standards. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(3).

In those implementing acts, the Commission shall pay particular attention to the need to minimise administrative burden. The implementing acts shall set a time frame by which voluntary schemes are required to implement the standards. The Commission may repeal decisions recognising voluntary schemes pursuant to paragraph 4 in the event that those schemes fail to implement such standards in the time frame provided for. Where a Member State raises concerns that a voluntary scheme does not operate in accordance with the standards of reliability, transparency and independent auditing that constitute the basis for decisions under paragraph 4, the Commission shall investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

9. Where an economic operator provides evidence or data obtained in accordance with a scheme that has been the subject of a decision pursuant to paragraph 4 or 6 of this Article, to the extent covered by that decision, a Member State shall not require the supplier to provide further evidence of compliance with the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7) and (10).

Competent authorities of the Member States shall supervise the operation of certification bodies that are conducting independent auditing under a voluntary scheme. Certification bodies shall submit, upon the request of competent authorities, all relevant information necessary to supervise the operation, including the exact date, time and location of audits. Where Member States find issues of non-conformity, they shall inform the voluntary scheme without delay.

10. At the request of a Member State, which may be based on the request of an economic operator, the Commission shall, on the basis of all available evidence, examine whether the sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria laid down in Article 29(2) to (7) and (10) in relation to a source of biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels, and the greenhouse gas emissions savings thresholds set in, and adopted pursuant to, Article 25(2), have been met.

Within six months of receipt of such a request and in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(3), the Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, decide whether the Member State concerned may either:

(a) take into account biofuels, bioliquids, biomass fuels and other fuels that are eligible for counting towards the numerator referred to in point (b) of Article 27(1) from that source for the purposes referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 29(1); or

(b) by way of derogation from paragraph 9 of this Article, require suppliers of the source of biofuels, bioliquids, biomass fuels and other fuels that are eligible for counting towards the numerator referred to in point (b) of Article 27(1) to provide further evidence of compliance with those sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria and those greenhouse gas emissions savings thresholds.

Editorial Information

X1 Substituted by Corrigendum to Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (Official Journal of the European Union L 328 of 21 December 2018).