About the UDB
The "Union Database" is the European Union database system provided for in Article 28(2) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (RED II) and Article 31a Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED III). This database system must be ensured by economic operators in the biofuels market and selected companies in the biogas sector to ensure complete traceability from the point of origin of the raw material to the point of use of the renewable fuel.
The aim of the UDB is to avoid double-counting and minimize the risk of irregularities and fraud. The UDB can create proof of sustainability and records sustainability certificates for the production of biofuels and gaseous biomass fuels and their value chains.
Companies falling within the scope of application are required to systematically document their transactions in the UDB.
Law
The legal basis for the UDB is Article 28(2) and (4) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (RED II), Article 31a of Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED III) and Article 18 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996. It is a key element in ensuring the traceability and sustainability of liquid and gaseous fuels within the framework of EU energy and climate policy.
Who must use the UDB in the SURE scheme?
According to Article 18 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996, 'all intermediate stages from the withdrawal of gaseous fuels from the interconnected infrastructure to the point of final consumption of the gaseous or liquid fuels shall be registered in the Union database'.
As participants in the SURE scheme, we would like to point out that all relevant actors in the biomethane sector (SURE scopes 3403, 5301, 5302) are obliged to use the UDB. The upstream supply chain must also implement the UDB to ensure the traceability of biomethane production. Since the production of biomethane depends on the upstream processes, the use of UDB is also necessary in these areas.
Although the solid fuel sector (e.g. wood) is in principle excluded from the use of the UDB, there is also an obligation to use the UDB in certain cases, such as wood (pyrolysis) gasification. In the future, there will be a separate solution for participants who would like to optionally participate in the UDB via an access option to the UDB in the SURE database.
Note: Unfortunately, SURE is currently not in a position to specifically identify all system participants who must use the UDB, which is why it is your responsibility in the future to inform your suppliers or upstream supply chain about the use of the UDB. In addition, the operation of the UDB means a further bureaucratic burden for economic operators. In the future, SURE will offer solutions in cooperation with an IT service provider to simplify the entry of transaction data.
Voluntary use of the UDB
From now on, a new button is available in the SURE database with which the voluntary submission of data to the Union database can be started.
This button can be used by all SURE-EU participants who do not carry out any activities in the mandatory SURE-EU scopes 3403, 5301 and 5302.
By pressing the button, it is expressly confirmed that
- the data stored in the SURE database – including company data, contact details and certificate data – is transmitted to the UDB, this transfer process is irreversible,
- you have read the European Commission's privacy statement (available in English only) and consent to the processing of the data in accordance with this statement.
Please note: A deletion of personal data in the UDB must be requested directly from the European Commission. SURE assumes no responsibility for this.
Further information on this can be found in the UDB Communications 03/2025 and 04/2025.
Access to the Union Database
The Live Version of the UDB website is the official and fully functional version that is used by all users. It contains all the up-to-date data and functions required for daily operations. Please note that there is no connection between the Live and Acceptance-Version of the database. In addition, not all functions of the Live-Version are available in the Acceptance-Version.
For data protection reasons, no sensitive data should be entered by the company in the Acceptance-Version.
Timeframe
Timeline of the Union database
The EU Commission is pursuing an ambitious timeline that has provided for the UDB to be operational by the end of 2023 and to be able to cover all transactions involving sustainable biomass and biofuels. As set out in Article 31a (1) of the EU (2023/2413), 'the Commission shall ensure that by 21 November 2024 a Union database is established to enable the traceability of renewable liquid and gaseous fuels and recycled carbon-containing fuels ('Union database')'). However, no sanctions will be imposed if the UDB is not used after this period, as can be seen from the clarification from the European Commission, as long as no further statement has been published in this context. This was confirmed in the 19th information letter from the BLE,
General information
What is the Union Database (UDB)?
The UDB is a central EU database for the traceability of gaseous and liquid fuels. It collects sustainability and transaction data along the supply chain and serves to prevent fraud. It is based on Article 28(2) and (4) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (RED II), Article 18 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996, and Article 31a of Directive (EU) 2023/2413.
Why was the UDB introduced?
The UDB was introduced to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and related legal texts, to prevent fraud, double counting and to prove the greenhouse gas reduction of fuels.
Who is obliged to use the UDB?
All actors in the supply chain, including raw material suppliers, producers of renewable liquid and gaseous fuels, who are linked with the interconnected gas grid, and recycled carbon fuels, suppliers and end-users of sustainability certificates, are required to use the UDB.
What data must be recorded in the UDB?
The following information must be deposited in the UDB:
- Origin and quantity of raw materials
- Production and conversion processes
- Proof of Sustainability
- Greenhouse gas reduction values
- Transactions within the supply chain
For more detailed information, please refer to Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996.
Cut-off date 21.11.2024
According to the clarification on the official UDB wiki, the deadline is 21.11.2024 for the UDB team to put the entire application online for gaseous fuels as well. As far as economic operators are concerned, the European Commission (EC) is trying to fill the UDB with raw material data. Therefore, there will be no immediate sanctions for economic operators immediately after 21.11.2024. The EC plans to agree with EU member states on a date from which use will be mandatory and from which sanctions could actually be imposed. The EC is in discussions with the RED Committee on these aspects and as soon as an agreement is reached, the EC will announce the date on the certification schemes accordingly. Click here for clarification.
Technical aspects and use of the UDB
How does the UDB work?
The UDB collects and tracks transaction data along the entire supply chain from liquid or gaseous renewable fuel or recycled carbon fuel to ensure transparency and traceability.
How is data security ensured in the UDB?
The UDB uses modern security protocols and encryption techniques to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the data. An important part of this is a personalized, 2-factor authenticated EU Login account for secure access to the UDB. Further information can be found in the Privacy Statement of the UDB.
For data protection reasons, no sensitive data should be entered by the company in the Acceptance-Version.
How is the data transferred from the SURE Database?
The UDB offers interfaces to other systems to enable seamless integration. The SURE database transmits all relevant information (required by the EC) to the UDB via such an interface. During this, you have also been created a company account in the UDB with a valid certificate.
Who is responsible for reporting technical defects in the UDB?
SURE is not responsible for technical defects in the UDB. These should be reported directly to the UDB support team (EC-UNION-DB@ec.europa.eu).
What is the EU Login Account and what is the difference to the UDB?
The EU Login account, also known as the EU Login, is an authentication service provided by the European Commission. It serves as a central access point for the authentication of users to a wide range of Commission information systems. With an EU Login account, users can verify their identity and securely access various services and systems of the European Commission. An EU Login account is required to access the UDB. It uses 2-factor authentication for security purposes (among other things, to protect your company account from access by third parties). The EU Login account is required in order of login into the UDB interface.
Can I connect my internal merchandise management system to the UDB?
Yes, it is possible to connect internal merchandise management systems to the UDB, to automatically import transactions into the UDB. Further information can be found in the public wiki. REDcert currently offers Explicatis as a so-called Access/Service Point Provider. You can find out more at: www.udb.explicatis.com/.
In which language is the UDB available?
The UDB interface is available in multiple languages. However, some of the translations are not yet complete and sometimes lead to malfunctions. Feel free to report those malfunctions to the support team of the UDB (EC-UNION-DB@ec.europa.eu).
Who should I contact if I have technical problems with the UDB?
In case of technical problems, please contact the UDB support team directly.
Registration and access
How do I register and access the UDB?
Registration in the UDB should be done via the link in the invitation e-mail or in the event that the link was not correctly triggered, the first contact person of your company can get direct access with its EU Login Mail to the UDB. Please do not register separately or independently, otherwise there will be no assignment to REDcert in the system (and no valid certificate can be assigned to you). Sometimes the UDB does not trigger the invitation link and you do not receive an email. This is not a problem, as your email address remains linked to your company account and when you log in to the UDB (e.g. via direct dial-in), the verified EU Login account associated with your email address is automatically recognized and you are finally directed to your company account. In other words, the UDB user interface uses your email address to determine whether your EU Login account is complete and has been assigned to your company. If you have already registered independently in the UDB, please send an email with a screenshot of your UDB profile and your REDcert ID to udb@redcert.de.
Open the following URL in the browser:
UDB- Acceptance Version
Enter your login data [EU-Login] carefully.
Make sure that your user name and password are correct and do not contain any typing errors. Here you will find detailed step-by-step instructions for accessing the UDB.
In order to ensure security and privacy when logging in and registering in the UDB, we strongly recommend that you follow the following procedure:
- Be sure to use a personal email address for your personal EU Login account.
- Avoid using generic email addresses such as info@company.com or office@company.com.
- Ideally, you should use your business, personalized email address (e.g. firstname.lastname@company.com).
- If you don't have a personalized business email, you can also use a private email address that can be uniquely assigned to you.
These measures serve to
... ensure the allocation of the EU account to a specific person.
... Prevent unauthorized access to sensitive company data.
... to ensure the traceability of actions in the UDB.
... Comply with EU data protection directives and security standards
Please note that using a personal email address is an important step in protecting the security of your company and your data in the UDB.
Who receives the UDB invitation link?
The invitation link will be sent to the e-mail address of the first contact person registered for your company in the REDcert database. Please note that these emails will come from the domain @ec.europa.eu. If the link was not triggered correctly, the first contact person in your company can still access your existing UDB account with the EU login e-mail, as the link between the e-mail address and the UDB account has been saved. The UDB user interface uses your email address to determine whether your EU Login account is complete and has been assigned to your company.
What should I do if I have not received an invitation link to the UDB?
Check your spam folder and whitelist the sender address (domain @ec.europa.eu). It is possible that the link was not triggered correctly. Your company's 1st contact person can still access your existing UDB account with the EU login email, as the link between the email address and the UDB account has been saved. Since your company information in the UDB comes directly from the REDcert database, you should make sure that your data in the REDcert database is up to date. For security reasons, the invitation e-mail will only be sent to the first contact person who is stored in the REDcert database. Therefore, the EU Login account must also match this email. You can subsequently distribute further accesses within the company according to the “snowball” system. If you still haven't received a link, send an email to udb@redcert.de. with the subject "Invitation link" and indicate your REDcert ID.
What steps should I take if I can't get access to the UDB despite having the correct login credentials?
Check your internet connection, clear cache and cookies in your browser, and make sure you're using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. The EU Login account should also be fully set up with two-factor authentication. If the problem persists, please contact the UDB support team or open the help section for EU Login.
Important: The EU Login account must be fully set up, including two-factor authentication.
If your company profile still does not appear on the UDB, please follow these steps:
- Log-in verification:
Make sure you have registered with the UDB using the fully created EU Login account of the first contact person. If you arrive at a start page where you are asked whether you want to contact REDcert or register yourself, please refrain from registering yourself (if you are REDcert certified).
- Required information: In order to associate your profile with your company, we need the following information by e-mail to udb@redcert.de with the subject "Self-registration":
- NTR ID (unique company identifier): usually VAT ID (alternatively: commercial register number | Cooperative Register Number | Tax ID for individuals)
- Four-digit REDcert participant number
- It is best to take a screenshot of your company profile in the UDB
We will forward this to the responsible UDB team. Your created company profile will be deleted and your account will be linked to the company created by REDcert.
Setup
What is the initial stock and when do I need to register it?
The initial stock is your existing stock on a selected key date. You must enter this in the UDB if you want to start using the system. If you do not have any starting stock due to a trader activity or comparable activity, a zero would have to be entered here or, if necessary, no notification would be required. This function seems to be linked with the certified scope.
Please note that the following conditions must be met before starting in the UDB:
- Correct company profile in the UDB
- Unique company identifier (NTR ID)
- Valid certificate has been transferred from the REDcert database
- Start date and duration of the mass balance period is specified
- In preparation for transactions, the buyer contacts (applies to everyone) and the sourcing contacts for first gathering points and collectors of waste and residues need to be created
- It is clear for your company whether you want to use transactions manually or via eDeliver via an interface to the UDB.
Creation of sourcing contacts
What are sourcing contacts and why do I need to create them?
Sourcing contacts are farms or collectors of waste and residues from which you receive biomass. Only first gathering points and collectors have to create them in order to book goods in the UDB.
How do I create sourcing contacts?
Use the Manage sourcing contacts feature in the UDB to add your suppliers. You can also use a bulk upload template for multiple entries. Everything else is explained in the step-by-step instructions. You can either add individual companies manually or upload several companies via an Excel spreadsheet
What information do I need to create sourcing contacts in the UDB?
For example, you will need the name, address and country affiliation. In the collective Excel template, all columns must be filled in with *. A clear identification of the farms, such as VAT ID, tax ID, IACS number (the term varies depending on the federal state: also known as farm number or registration number, through which the agricultural application is submitted), is not mandatory. The information on the sourcing contacts can be added manually or via collective excel file.
Create Buyers
How do I create buyers in the UDB?
To do this, use the step-by-step instructions. This describes how to log into the UDB account, download the template, fill out the spreadsheet of buyers, and upload it via a collective excel file.
What information do I need to create buyers in the UDB?
You will need the unique company identifier (NTR ID or VAT ID) and, if applicable, the full company name of the buyer. This information can be added via collective excel file. Please communicate with your buyers and make sure that the UDB accounts have been created correctly.
Transactions and Mass Balance
How can I make sure that my transactions are correctly stored in the UDB?
How often do I need to update the UDB with transactions?
Does the quantity reporting in the REDcert system remain in place in parallel with the UDB?
Yes, the quantity report must be entered annually in the REDcert database. Whether the UDB will make this redundant in the future cannot yet be determined.
Can weight differences due to storage losses, transport losses or even ensiling losses be specified?
Weight differences can be specified for each transaction afterwards in the overview of the locations and thus contribute to the correction of the booking.
Why are certain materials missing in the UDB?
The UDB lists all materials known to the UDB team. If a material is still missing, you can send it to udb@redcert.de (with subject “material list”) with subject-specific explanations and additional information.
Certificates
How are certificates linked to transactions in the UDB?
Each transaction from a specific location should be linked to the respective valid certificate. The certificates are automatically stored via the interface of the SURE database.
Can I have multiple certificates for an organization in the UDB?
Yes, multiple certificates (from the same or from different voluntary schemes) can be linked to the same organization.
Why is my inspection certificate not stores in the UDB?
Further Information UDB
Use of the Union Database
Demo-Videos zur Unionsdatenbank
01_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Hauptnutzer - Erstellung einer Materialverarbeitung in der UDB
02_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Hauptnutzer - Anlegen von Transaktionen am Ursprungsort nach Teil B
03_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Hauptnutzer - Anlegen einer Verkäufertransaktion
04_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Hauptnutzer - Akzeptieren einer Transaktion durch den Käufer
05_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Hauptnutzer - Ablehnen einer Transaktion durch den Käufer
06_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Hauptnutzer - Anlegen einer Käufer Transaktion im Ursprungsort
07_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Nutzer - Anlegen von Anfangslagerbeständen
08_Wirtschaftsbeteiligte Nutzer - Anlegen von Beschaffungsquellen mit/ohne Identifikationsnummer
UDB News
- UDB 04 from 16.05.2025 - for all SURE-EU scopes
- UDB 03 from 04.04.2025 - for all SURE-EU scopes, except from 3403, 5301, 5302
- UDB 02 from 06.02.2025 - only for SURE-EU scopes 3403, 5301, 5302
- UDB 01 from 30.01.2025 - only for SURE-EU scopes 3403, 5301, 5302
Schulungen zur Unionsdatenbank
Stay up to date with training offerings from SURE and the EU Commission.
EU Commission Training (recordings, English only)
Disclaimer
All information on this website has been taken from current legal texts, the official UDB wiki, or discussions with UDB officials. However, no guarantee is given for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. Further information can be found in the official UDB wiki.
UDB Support
SURE differentiates between technical and professional support requests, as they require different expertise and approaches. This separation allows for more efficient processing and faster problem resolution.
Technical questions require an in-depth understanding of the contents and specific requirements of the UDB. The Fachverband Biogas e.V. is the appropriate point of contact for this in Germany, as it specialises in these topics. In other countries, our NSB (National Supporting Bodies) are available to answer technical questions.
Technical questions, on the other hand, concern the functioning of the platform and are handled by the support team of the UDB (EU Commission).
Thanks to this clear division, inquiries are forwarded directly to the appropriate experts. This reduces processing time and improves the quality of responses, so you always get the best possible support for your request.
Of course, SURE is also available for support requests and supports you with all matters relating to the UDB.
Contact for technical questions about the UDB
Fachverband Biogas e.V.
Angerbrunnenstrasse 12
85356 Freising
Phone: 0049 8161 / 984660
Support team of the UDB (EU Commission)
Send an email to EC-UNION-DB@ec.europa.eu and add udb@sure-system.org to CC.
In your e-mail to UDB support, please include the following information:
- Description of the problem: Briefly explain what exactly is not working.
- Information about the company incl. unique company identifier (NTR-ID) or unique VAT ID and SURE-ID (for further inquiries)
- Error message: If you receive an error message, include it (as a screenshot) in your message.
Browser and version: Specify which browser and version you are using.
Support team SURE GmbH
If you have any other specific questions about the UDB, you can direct them to udb@sure-system.org . We ask for your understanding that in view of the complexity of the topic and numerous open topics to be clarified with the UDB, we cannot answer every question directly. However, we will try to clarify this as soon as possible.
Thank you for your understanding.