As part of the drive to ensure growers can benefit from Earned Recognition opportunities, SQC took the decision over 12 years ago to seek recognition from the European Commission as an existing voluntary scheme demonstrating compliance of feedstocks against the Renewable Energy Directive up to the point of first delivery. Official recognition was confirmed on 24th July 2012.

The scheme’s ongoing compliance with the RED/Directive (EU) 2018/2001 automatically grants assured crops producers free access to the growing biofuels market in the UK and across Europe.

Growers are required to keep a record of crops delivered for liquid biofuel use. The mass balance records are audited at each annual assessment, to confirm that all the production for liquid biofuel use comes from compliant land. Additional questions are asked at assessment as to the land classification criteria at 1 January 2008, details of any additional land taken on since that date, and any land converted from protected status at 1 January 2008. The evidence required is by reference to the Field Data Sheets (IACS 4) submitted with the Single Application Form in 2008, or maps or farm records etc. From these areas a calculation is made of the area of land which complies with the sustainability criteria of Articles 29(3) to (7) of the recast RED/Directive (EU) 2018/2001.

Growers must be fully compliant to the RED/Directive (EU) 2018/2001. This information is held on the SQC database and is made available to traders and processors via the secure Trade login on the SQC website.

A requirement of on-going compliance for all recognised voluntary schemes is the submission of Annual Reports to the EU Commission and copies of these reports are available.

SQC is also required to publish annually an aggregated list where audits have identified critical or major non-conformities, together with the respective action plan and timing for correction as agreed with the economic operators concerned.