Introducing PEFC RED II Certification

Renewable Energy Directive

In this webinar, we introduced the new PEFC RED II certification scheme. Participants heard about the advances we have made in the new PEFC RED II standards and highlights of the additional requirements for PEFC chain of custody certificate holders to demonstrate compliance with RED II.

The PEFC RED II standards are a significant move towards PEFC providing companies with a tool to demonstrate their compliance with the RED II sustainability and greenhouse gas saving criteria across the European Union (EU).

These new standards will enable PEFC chain of custody certified organisations seeking RED II compliance to obtain a PEFC RED II certificate and use the PEFC certification scheme to demonstrate that the forest biomass they use meets the relevant RED II sustainability criteria. 

Organisations that are not yet PEFC chain of custody certified and wish to use the PEFC RED II tool as evidence to meet their RED II obligations, will need to obtain a PEFC chain of custody certificate and a PEFC RED II certificate at the same time.

The PEFC RED II certification scheme

The PEFC RED II certification scheme is built up over the PEFC Chain of Custody scheme, providing interpretations and additional requirements to the existing chain of custody standard. 

It also includes interpretations and additional requirements for chain of custody notified certification bodies and other technical requirements necessary to ensure the integrity, harmonised implementation, and consistency of the scheme. 

What is RED II?

The European Union’s (EU) Revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) is the Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. Under RED II, the European Commission (EC) can recognise voluntary certification schemes as compliant with the rules included in the RED II to help verifying that the production of fuels and energy from forest biomass complies with the EU sustainability criteria as well as relevant methodologies.

By using voluntary certification schemes, participating economic operators can demonstrate their compliance with the RED II sustainability and greenhouse gas saving criteria and provide the necessary assurances.