Answer given by Ms Simson on behalf of the European Commission
21.4.2023
The main objective of the ‘Guarantees of Origin’ system is to provide a certified disclosure to consumers on the share or quantity of energy from renewable sources in an energy supplier’s energy mix.
Electricity suppliers should use Guarantees of Origin when demonstrating to final consumers the share of energy from renewable sources as required by the article 19 (8) in the recast Renewable Energy Directive (RED II)[1] and Annex I of the Electricity Market Directive[2].
The Commission has not provided guidelines to national authorities in that respect, but has established a platform for Member State representatives to exchange good practice on the implementation of RED II. This includes a task force on Guarantees of Origin and disclosure[3].
The proposal on green claims[4] covers voluntary environmental claims made in business-to-consumer communication for which there are no other specific EU rules mandating substantiation and communication of such claims.
In the context of the Renewable Energy Directive the requirements set therein as regards provision of information linked to the Guarantee of Origin and the relevant enforcement mechanism will therefore prevail over the requirements in the proposal on green claims.
According to Article 19(8) of RED II, suppliers have to use Guarantees of Origin to claim that a part of their energy mix is renewable.
Therefore, Member States cannot restrict claims of 100% renewable energy in suppliers’ promotional materials when such claims are based on the use of Guarantee of Origin certificates.
The provision in Article 19(12) allows Member States to introduce additional criteria for use of Guarantees of Origin, but does not allow to establish criteria that are contrary to what is established in Article 19.