The Union Database (UDB) includes transactions of both liquid and gaseous renewable and recycled carbon fuels that are registered directly by the economic operators. In some cases, data can be entered in UDB by the economic operators via national databases of the EU Member States.
What is the UDB scope of traceability?
The main steps for tracing supply chains for liquid and gaseous fuels in the EU – or in other countries – start at the collection points of raw materials, such as virgin biomass or biomass waste and residues. These collection points are required to record all buying-in transactions of raw materials from their points of origin.
Following the first data entry of all raw material consignments, economic operators must record all subsequent transactions of further trades of their raw materials downstream of the supply chain, until such raw materials are supplied to the respective fuel production or conversion units. If fuel production or conversion units buy such raw materials directly from the points of origin, they are required to record all such buying-in transactions as done by a collection point.
Economic operators must thereafter register all conversion steps, from input consignments of raw materials to output fuel consignments. They must also record all downstream trades of renewable and recycled carbon fuels until the respective fuel consignments are placed on the EU market.
The final suppliers are required to report fuels placed on the EU market by using the specific module designed for this purpose in the Union Database. It allows for the allocation of fuel consignments placed on the EU market to specific sectors and economic operators, such as shipping companies or aircraft operators.
In the case of gaseous fuels injected into the integrated gas infrastructure, economic operators/ certified producers are required to enter the injected monthly volumes, subject to verification by Transmission or Distribution System Operators. No further intermediary transactions for trades between economic operators withing the integrated gas infrastructure are recorded in UDB. A transaction will have to be recorded by the economic operator, such as the final supplier placing it on the market or an economic operator that is withdrawing the gaseous fuels for the purposes of further conversion/ processing, only at the exit point of the integrated infrastructure.
What types of fuels are being traced?
The scope of traceability encompasses all liquid and gaseous renewable fuels, including biofuels and sustainable gases such as biomethane, renewable hydrogen from biological or non-biological origin (RFNBOs), and recycled carbon fuels.
The scope of traceability also covers all end-use sectors where such fuels can be used – including transport, heating and cooling, and power production – covering all liquid and gaseous fuels, but excluding solid biomass fuels.
What sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions data are covered?
The sustainability characteristics and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions values related to the volumes of sustainably certified raw materials and fuels recorded in the Union Database are based on the valid certificates delivered to the certified economic operators under the certification framework of the Renewable Energy Directive. This data is consistently submitted to the database and regularly updated by recognised by the Commission voluntary schemes and national certification schemes of the EU Member States.
The Proof of Sustainability (PoS) self-declarations issued by certified economic operators, which are accompanying the trade transactions are recorded by using digital identifiers and referencing unique identification numbers within the database traceability system.
Each PoS document includes the GHG emissions data and other metadata, as outlined in Annex I of the Implementing Regulation on sustainability certification. This ensures compliance with regulatory requirements and enables the deployment of a robust traceability system for all consignments of raw materials or fuels recorded in the database.
Who can access the database?
Currently the following stakeholder profiles have access to the database
- economic operators - upstream and downstream of the supply chains - that are legally obliged to enter transaction data or place fuels on the EU market
- mandated representatives of voluntary schemes and national certification schemes or their certification bodies
- mandated representatives of the competent authorities of EU countries
- mandated representatives of the Commission, responsible for the development, management and maintenance of the database
UDB topics
UDB - anchored in legislation
The database was foreseen under Article 31a of the Renewable Energy Directive (EU/2018/2001) to ensure market transparency and traceability in the supply chains for liquid and gaseous renewable and recycled carbon fuels. It mitigates the risk of irregularities and fraud, prevents double counting, and thereby supports efforts to meet the EU’s ambitious decarbonisation targets.
The Commission has tabled a draft legal proposal for a Delegated Regulation on the Union Database, providing the legal basis for extending UDB traceability to cover also economic operators handling raw materials upstream of the supply chain.
Related links
- Biofuels
- Renewable Energy Directive (EU/2023/2413)