Content:
1. ISCC EU
2. Clarification on Different ISCC Certificate Statuses
The System Update is mandatory for all ISCC system users,
ISCC auditors and cooperating certification bodies.
1. ISCC EU
1.1 Acceptability of Pending NUTS2 Values in Sustainability Declarations
NUTS2 values are typical GHG emissions values for the cultivation of agricultural raw materials on territories classified as level 2 in the nomenclature of territorial units for statistics. These values must be reported to the European Commission by Member States or third countries and if the Commission recognises them to be accurate, they can be used instead of actual or default values (NUTS; see Art. 31(2) RED II). The availability of NUTS2 values is, at present, limited (see also System Update of 19 December 2023). New NUTS2 values have been submitted to the European Commission by several Member States and are awaiting official approval via respective Delegated Decisions.
We recommend the following guidelines for the use of NUTS2 values:
When issuing a sustainability declaration (SD), First Gathering Points or individually certified farms, must choose a valid GHG option for eec; either default values (when available for the specific crop) or actually calculated values. In addition, they may indicate the appropriate NUTS2 regional code on the SD. If the NUTS2 values have been recognised through an EU Implementing Decision by the time the Proof of Sustainability (PoS) for the final biofuel is issued, the final biofuel producer may use the NUTS2 values for eec instead of the original GHG option. We have added a respective field to the ISCC sustainability declaration and PoS templates (v3.1) that are available in the client section (login required).
The European Commission publishes a list of already issued Implementing Decisions and a list of countries for which the updated NUTS2 values have already been positively assessed. Additionally, we acknowledge that Member States may accept NUTS2 values already at the stage of positive technical assessment by the Commission. One example is the recent announcement from the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, BLE). The BLE already recognises the positively assessed NUTS2 values for Germany until the Implementing Decision has been published. Please see the BLE website for further information (in German only).
Please contact the responsible authority in the respective EU Member State for further details in this regard.
1.2 Update of the Emission Factor for Gas Grid Losses
Gas losses occurring from the transport of gas in the transmission and distribution infrastructure (gas grid) must be included in the scope of the GHG emissions savings calculation. The European Commission has confirmed that the emission factor for gas grid losses of 0.17 g CH4/MJ gas may be replaced by 0.01 g CH4/MJ. This can be applied with immediate effect.
1.3 Clarification Regarding the esca cap
We have noted persisting problems with the correct application and validation of the esca cap introduced by the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996. In this regard we would like to draw the attention of all appropriate parties to the graphical illustration below to the information provided in the System Update from 23 May 2024.
To facilitate the correct validation of the esca values, we have added a respective field, allowing for the selection of the appropriate cap, to the sustainability declaration and Proof of Sustainability (PoS) templates (available in the client section, login required).
Please click here for the graphic in high resolution.
1.4 Mandatory Use of Emission Factors in the Implementing Regulation 2022/996
ISCC would like to remind you that if an appropriate emission factor is available in Annex IX of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996, it must be used in an individual GHG calculation
2. Clarification on Different ISCC Certificate Statuses
According to ISCC EU System Document 201, certificates can be classified into one of the following five statuses: valid, suspended, expired, terminated and withdrawn. Information on the status of all ISCC certificates along with information on economic operators excluded from ISCC certification is published on the ISCC website. ISCC certificates as issued by the Certification Body (CB) are valid for their indicated validity period even if they are not yet published on our website. ISCC lists the certificate information on the website after receiving the relevant documentation from the CB. Please note that any alteration to the status of a certificate must be updated by the CB in the ISCC HUB. The definition of each category of certificate status is described in Chapter 4.3 of ISCC EU System Document 201.
Please find below further clarification on the certificate statuses.
“Valid: Refers to an active certificate”
Clarification: The certificate is issued in accordance with ISCC System requirements and is within the validity period indicated on the certificate, without being subject at the time to termination, expiry, suspension or withdrawal.
“Expired: Refers to a certificate that is no longer valid because the period of validity has ended”
Clarification: This refers to a certificate for which the last date of validity exists in the past in accordance with the last day of validity indicated on the certificate. It is not applicable to certificates which were declared invalid by the CB due to a withdrawal.
“Terminated: Refers to a certificate that was voluntarily cancelled while still valid upon request by the System User”
Clarification: A certificate is classified as terminated if a System User voluntarily declares to end their valid certificate. Certificates cannot be terminated if non-conformities with ISCC requirements exist. Additionally, a certificate may be terminated if ISCC terminates the applicable System Usage Agreement concluded with the System User if there is good cause in accordance with the ISCC Terms of Use.
“Suspended: Refers to a temporarily invalid certificate due to non-conformities identified by the Certification Body or upon voluntary request of the System User”
Clarification: A certificate is suspended by the CB in case of major non-conformities with ISCC requirements, wherein the validity of the certificate is temporarily invalidated with immediate effect after the date on which the non-conformity was identified for a period of 40 calendar days or until the date of expiry of the certificate, whichever is earlier, during which the must implement appropriate corrective measures as determined by the CB. If the major non-conformities are corrected within the suspension period, the validity of the certificate shall be restored. System Users may also voluntarily decide to suspend their certificate after identification of major non-conformities with ISCC requirements.
“Withdrawn: Refers to a certificate that was permanently cancelled by the CB or the voluntary scheme”
Clarification: A certificate is withdrawn permanently, with its last date of validity being the date of withdrawal, if major non-conformities with ISCC requirements were not corrected within the suspension period or if critical non-conformities with ISCC requirements were detected. Withdrawn certificates cannot be restored to become valid again.
If you have any questions, please contact us via our contact form on the ISCC website.