Helping companies demonstrate EU RED II compliance: the PEFC RED II standards

14 November 2024 PEFC system news

In 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), the PEFC RED II standards were approved by the PEFC General Assembly yesterday.

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. 

PEFC RED II certification will be available for economic operators worldwide. It covers forest biomass, ligno-cellulosic material derived from processing residues originating in forest-related industries, waste, and biomass fuels produced from ligno-cellulosic material for heating, cooling, and electricity production.

The vote in the PEFC General Assembly is a final step in the PEFC standard setting process, which adheres to robust and stringent requirements in a participatory and inclusive way. The approval of the new standards by the highest PEFC decision-making body adds significant weight to the new PEFC RED II certification scheme, which has already received a positive technical assessment by the European Commission (EC). 

EU member countries must now approve the PEFC RED II certification scheme at the EC level and grant it formal recognition. This is expected to happen in the short term, according to the EC. This decision will officially conclude the PEFC RED II recognition process by the EC. 

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. 

The process at EU level

PEFC achieved the positive technical assessment of the PEFC RED II certification scheme by the EC on 11 October 2024. Information about the technical recognition has been published on the EC website.

This positive technical assessment sends a strong signal of the PEFC RED II certification scheme’s availability as a market tool that will support the achievement of EU member states’ RED II targets and the legislation’s implementation across the EU.

The EC already launched the update process, which will align the recognised RED II voluntary schemes with the requirements of the RED III. PEFC is actively engaging in the process.