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We are pleased to announce that RSB has received a positive technical assessment from the European Commission (EC) for our certification scope covering agricultural biomass, waste and residues under the Revised Directive EU/2018/2001 (RED III). In preparation for the transposition deadline on 21 May 2025, RSB will host two public webinars on 7 May 2025 for all certified Participating Operators and stakeholders to learn more about RED III compliance.
Register here to attend one of the webinars:
These recent developments demonstrate that RSB has successfully adapted its sustainability framework (specifically the RSB EU RED fuel certification scheme) to align with the evolving EU regulatory landscape. Furthermore, it marks a significant milestone in ensuring that RSB-certified Participating Operators can easily adapt to changes in EU regulatory compliance, and benefit from strengthened market access (with now an expanded scope of recognition that covers agricultural biomass, waste and residues and co-processing).
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Main updates in RED III
RED III sets ambitious climate-positive targets, positioning the EU as a global leader in renewable energies when it comes to technology development and deployment. With an increased renewable energy target of 42.5% and a 29% target for transport fuels, RED III introduces stricter sustainability requirements and enhanced greenhouse gas (GHG) savings criteria for biofuels, renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs), and recycled carbon fuels (RCFs).
As such, this recognition reaffirms the credibility of RSB’s rigorous sustainability framework and commitment to ensuring robust compliance with RED III’s strengthened sustainability and GHG savings criteria. By meeting these enhanced requirements, RSB certification remains a trusted and future-proof pathway for organisations working with sustainable biofuels and renewable energy sources.
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What’s next?
Since the RED III legislation entered into force on 20 November 2023, staying ahead of RED III implementation timelines is crucial – especially for stakeholders across the bioenergy and sustainable fuel sectors.
Most important is the transposition deadline, which is 21 May 2025. By this date, EU Member States must integrate RED III provisions into national legislation, ensuring consistency with the updated requirements.
Participating Operators will be able to recertify under the updated scheme documents as part of the annual renewal process through recertification or surveillance audits. Additionally, any proof of sustainability issued before or after the recertification date will remain valid.
RSB’s Certification Team will be readily available to provide support to our stakeholders during this time, including the provision of training for Certification Bodies on RED III changes and implementation, as well as hosting two public webinars to discuss RED III compliance in more depth – a morning session and an afternoon session.
See below for a timeline of our activities leading up to the transposition deadline:
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RSB will continue to actively engage with the European Commission to finalise recognition for other key scopes, including RFNBOs and RCFs. Earlier this year, RSB also received confirmation from EC with regards to the technical positive assessment for co-processing under EU RED.
To stay updated, we encourage you to join our upcoming webinars and follow our announcements on LinkedIn, as we release new documentation and guidance.
For further questions on RSB certification under RED III, please contact certification@rsb.org.
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