The European Commission has approved the biofuels certification scheme of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), RSPO-RED - under the Renewable Energy Directive.
The RSPO-RED is a single crop voluntary certification scheme and is based on the multi-stakeholder initiative’s Principles & Criteria, Certification Systems and Supply Chain Certification Standard integrated with supplementary requirements for compliance with the Renewable Energy Directive.
RSPO welcomes this decision by the European Commission and considers the development critical in making real progress towards the supply and demand of sustainable commodities. The approval of RSPO-RED provides biofuels producers who use RSPO-RED certified sustainable palm oil access to the European sustainable biofuels market in accordance with EU laws.
It is not within RSPO’s consideration to determine the allocation of palm oil for food, fuel and other uses. The RSPO, however, holds a firm stand that if indeed palm oil is used, it advocates that certified sustainable palm oil is prioritized as it does not contribute to the sustained destruction of valuable tropical forests or damage the interests of people, communities and nations.
RSPO is a multi-stakeholder initiative that was formed in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products through credible global standards and is one of the most established voluntary schemes on the market. RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) has been produced and marketed since 2008 with over 1000 members from more than 50 countries worldwide.
—END—
View in PDF format
For further information please contact:
Contact for RSPO Secretariat:
Anne Gabriel, Communications Director | T: 603 - 2201 2053 | [email protected]
Contact for Europe:
Giovanni Colombo, Hill+Knowlton Strategies | T: +32 (0)473 844 903 | [email protected]
