Portugal's participation in the European conference, which gathered authorities responsible for verifying sustainability criteria and renewable energy targets, stood out for integrating the sustainability validation component (ECS/LNEG) alongside operational oversight (ENSE).
Over three days, the agenda covered critical points of the RED III Directive, mechanisms for preventing irregularities, compliance verifications, governance of Voluntary Schemes, the impact of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996, and the operationalization of the Union Database (UDB). Challenges in maritime and aviation transport (ReFuelEU), the articulation with the ETS II system, and the control of high-risk raw materials, such as used cooking oil (UCO), were also discussed.
ENSE's participation focused on acquiring technical knowledge for more effective oversight, understanding how European entities assess documentary processes and identify vulnerabilities. Portugal contributed to the debate by highlighting the importance of linking documentary verification with physical and cross-border control.
The meeting facilitated knowledge sharing and frank networking among European experts, allowing for the discussion of current system limitations, real case studies, and the anticipation of documentary fraud risks. This transparency in inter-institutional dialogue significantly broadens the scope of oversight in the biofuel sector, providing ENSE with a more comprehensive view of the entire European certification chain.
