Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

We herewith inform you about updates and clarifications in the ISCC System. Please share this information with all relevant members of staff.

1. ISCC PLUS
2. ISCC EU
3. ISCC CORSIA (PLUS)
4. ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification

ISCC PLUS

1.1 ISCC PLUS System Document

ISCC has released an updated version of the ISCC PLUS System Document (v3.4.2) that now contains all pertinent information of the ISCC EU System Document 203 “Traceability and Chain of Custody” (v4.0) which is no longer to be used.
 
Please be aware that the ISCC PLUS System Document maintains references to all other ISCC EU System Documents. In this regard, the latest version of ISCC EU System Documents (v4.1) shall be used as a reference. Only for ISCC EU Document 103 “Requirements for Certification Bodies and Auditors” the version 4.0 shall still be used.

1.2 ISCC PLUS Sustainability Declaration

The template of the ISCC PLUS Sustainability Declaration has been adjusted to align with the updated ISCC PLUS System Document (v3.4.2) and the ISCC material lists.

1.3 ISCC PLUS Material List

The ISCC PLUS material list has been updated. The newly added and revised materials are marked in bold.

1.4 ISCC PLUS Certificate Template

ISCC has updated the ISCC PLUS certificate template which features the add-on “202-07: Low ILUC-risk feedstock”. The updated template will become mandatory for all audits conducted after 01 April 2024.

For ISCC auditors:

2. ISCC EU

2.1 ISCC EU Self-Declarations

The ISCC EU self-declarations for

• UCO,
• food waste, and
• waste and residues 

have been updated to align with the recent revisions made to the ISCC EU System Documents (see ISCC System Update from 4 January).

Currently, only the English versions are available. Self-declarations in other supported languages will be made available at the earliest convenience.

2.2 FAQs about the Updated ISCC EU System Documents

ISCC has recently revised the ISCC EU System Documents (see ISCC System Update from 4 January). Since some recurring questions have arisen due to the update, we have compiled the most frequent questions and answers in our FAQs.

2.3 Update Annex IX feedstocks – Implementation into ISCC EU

The European Commission recently adopted an update of the Annex IX list of advanced feedstocks of the RED II (DIR 2018/2001). In general, these additional feedstocks will improve the opportunities for advanced feedstock cultivation and advanced biofuels production.
 
Among other feedstocks, the list includes “crops grown on severely degraded land, except food and feed crops” and intermediate crops “grown in areas where due to a short vegetation period the production of food and feed crops is limited to one harvest”and provided that „their use does not trigger additional land demand“ and that „the soil organic matter content is maintained“.
 
ISCC welcomes the addition of these new feedstocks and sustainable agricultural practices to the Annex IX list. For several years, ISCC is working together with its stakeholders on the integration of sustainable agricultural practices within the ISCC system. ISCC will implement these additional feedstocks and definitions into the ISCC EU certification system according to the guidelines and requirements of the European Commission to support system users with the certification of advanced feedstocks and biofuels in the future.

Additional note: After the European Commission adopted the Delegated Regulation amending Annex IX to Directive (EU) 2018/2001 the European Council and European Parliament will now have around two months time to review the text and formulate any objections. If they don’t have any objections the delegated regulation will enter into force. 

ISCC will implement the feedstocks once the delegated regulation entered into force.

2.4 Information Letter from Nabisy Database

We herewith inform you about the 17th Nabisy information letter dated 5 March 2024 from the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).

The letter informs about upcoming changes due to the new version of the Ordinance on Emissions Reporting under the Fuel Emissions Trading Act for the years 2023 to 2030 (EBeV 2030) and the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Act in the Trading Period 2021 to 2030 (EHV 2030). The BLE also provided a new csv file for uploading proofs of sustainability. You can find further information on the csv file in the letter. The csv file is available for download in the client section of the ISCC website (login required) can be requested from Nabisy directly.

The letter is available on the website of the BLE in English and German. Please share this information with all relevant members of staff within your organisation.

3. ISCC CORSIA (PLUS)

3.1 Use of Disaggregated Life Cycle Emissions Values

ICAO recently confirmed that it is not possible for economic operators to use disaggregated emissions values to provide life cycle emissions information.

Instead, economic operators must either

• use default life cycle emissions values listed in the ICAO Document “CORSIA Default Life Cycle Emissions Values for CORSIA Eligible Fuels”; or
• calculate actual values for every life cycle step (and include the default ILUC emissions values provided in the ICAO document where applicable).

3.2  Use of Default ILUC Emissions Value

ICAO recently confirmed that it is acceptable that economic operators use default ILUC emissions values for either version of the ETJ (ETJ = Ethanol to Jet) pathway irrespective of the pathway specification (integrated or standalone conversion design).
 
ICAO also confirmed that work on calculating default values for the standalone conversion design are ongoing at ICAO.

3.3 Low Land Use Change (LUC) Risk Certification under ISCC CORSIA (PLUS)

The certificate templates for low LUC risk certification under ISCC CORSIA (PLUS) are now available.

For ISCC auditors:

Please consider the following about the use of the certificate templates for low LUC risk certification:

• The scope is restricted to Farm/Plantation or First Gathering Point.
• In the certificate annex, the original ISCC CORSIA (PLUS) certificate shall be mentioned (here, additional scope(s) covered by the original ISCC CORSIA (PLUS) certificate shall be specified).
• The certificate annex must include the raw material certified as low LUC risk, the low LUC risk approach used by the economic operator (either “yield increase approach” or “unused land approach”) as well as a brief description of the applied low LUC risk practices.
• The validity period of the low LUC risk certificate and the corresponding ISCC CORSIA (PLUS) certificate shall be aligned.

In addition, the Summary Audit Report (SAR) template has been adjusted and now includes low LUC risk certification information where relevant (see Section 3.5). Please note that the same SAR template is applicable for both ISCC CORSIA (PLUS) certifications and low LUC risk certifications under ISCC CORSIA (PLUS).

For auditors:

If you are interested in learning more about low LUC risk certification under ISCC CORSIA (PLUS) please do not hesitate to contact us at info(at)iscc-system.org.

4. ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification

4.1 New ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification Module

ISCC has started the development of a Carbon Footprint Certification (CFC) module which enables the certification of product carbon footprints for various products and value chains. The ISCC CFC module is applicable as a stand-alone certification or as a supplement to ISCC PLUS.
 
Since the ISCC CFC module and corresponding guidance (e.g. audit procedures, auditor training and accreditation) is under continuous development, currently no certifications under ISCC CFC are possible without direct ISCC involvement. To practically test the developed certification approaches and establish new ones, pilot audits are conducted by certification bodies in close cooperation with ISCC. Please contact ISCC via the web form (button below) if you are interested in the ISCC CFC module.

4.2 Public Consultation

ISCC is keen to gather feedback from system users, certification bodies and interested stakeholders. For this reason, the ISCC CFC System Document (version 1.1) is open to public consultation until 13 May 2024. Interested parties can download the document and submit their feedback on the ISCC website.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact ISCC.

Your ISCC Team