European Commission launches its Union Database for Biofuels at last

In Belgium, the Union Database for Biofuels (UDB) established by the European Commission is open for online registration by the relevant economic operators of transactions of liquid renewable and recycled carbon fuels. The database was foreseen under Article 31a of the 2018 Renewable Energy Directive to improve traceability of biofuels, avoid double counting, and address concerns about fraud. The European Commission has worked closely with the relevant stakeholders and market players to prepare the database, also with a view to opening the application for registration of gaseous renewable and recycled carbon fuels in the coming months.

The Union database is a global traceability tool with the aim to trace consignments of renewable and recycled carbon fuels and the respective raw materials used for their production – from the point of origin of the raw materials to the point where fuels are put on the EU market for final consumption. It will help ensure market transparency and traceability in the supply chain for such fuels, mitigating the risk of irregularities and fraud and thereby supporting efforts to meet the ambitious EU decarbonization targets.