In 2009 the European Union adopted the Renewable Energy Directive (RES Directive). The RES Directive established an overall 20% renewable energy target in final energy consumption for the EU and a 10% target of renewable energy in transport for 2020. It also defined legally binding national renewable energy targets and required Member States to transpose the Directive into national legislation by 5th December 2010 and to implement policies and measures effectively designed to reach these targets.
The RES Directive (Article 22) requires Member States to bi-annually report to the European Commission on progress in the promotion and use of renewable energy and the sustainability of biofuels. The reports shall cover the aspects listed in Article 22 and the first report shall be submitted by the end of 2011. Member States are also required to deliver other information to the Commission, e.g. on basis of Article 18(3) with regard to sustainability information as submitted by economic operators.
This project serves to support the European Commission in their 2014 reporting requirements in the frame of the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC. Thus, we will support the reporting on the progress in renewable energy, by providing the analytical basis for monitoring, assessing and evaluating the evolution of Member States in implementing the RES Directive. This assessment will be based on a detailed analysis of the progress reports submitted by each of the 27 EU Member States, complemented by additional sources and the extensive experience the consortium members have on all aspects addressed in Article 22.
We will support the reporting on the sustainability of biofuels, by deriving the origin of biofuels and their feedstock, subsequently evaluating environmental and social sustainability impacts along the supply chain and at the location of feedstock production, as well as quantify indirect effects that take place via traceable displacement or via the international commodity market. We will analyse if and how countries are prepared to safeguard sustainability aspects through (enforcement of) legislation.
