UDB is the common abbreviation for “Union Database” and is a mandatory database of the European Union in order to record any transfer (trade) of sustainable biofuels and biogas, as well as the associated raw materials and intermediates, along the entire supply chain within the scope of RED II.

All market participants within the scope of RED II along the supply chain for the production of sustainable biofuels and biogas (production, processing and trade) upstream and downstream of the final interface, starting with the initial producer/collection point. Furthermore, all voluntary and national certification schemes and associated certification bodies relevant for the production of sustainable biofuels and biogas within the scope of RED II.

The UDB becomes mandatory for all market participants concerned at the moment when the European Union officially notifies and publishes the completion and functionality of the Union database. With this date, the reports to the UDB (documentation of the respective deliveries along the supply chain) become legally binding. Such a date is not yet known, but the UDB is expected to be available for users from 2024 on.

1. If not happened already, the market participant must register with a certification scheme for data exchange with the UDB.
2. In a second step, the market participant must apply to the registered certification scheme for the required access data for data exchange with the UDB.
   
   

Any delivery of sustainable biomass along the supply chain must be transmitted to the UDB, indicating the comprehensive sustainability and other characteristics and information already required today. The technical design of the UDB provides three different ways to transmit the required data:
1. manual data exchange
2. data transmission via a Service Provider to the UDB
3. direct data transmission from the company to the UDB (e-Delivery).

Any data set can be entered manually via the UDB website. This procedure appears to be a bit cumbersome and is recommended and practicable only for smaller amounts of data.

e-Delivery is a connection protocol of the European Union for electronic data exchange (electronic interface to the UDB). Successful access use of the e-Delivery interface requires a suitable software for data transmission within the market participant’s company.

A Service Provider is a fee-based external database under private law to which the market participant’s company transmits its data. The data are stored outside the company in that database and may be processed, if necessary, and will be transmitted to the UDB via e-Delivery later on. A service provider is firmly bound to at least one certification scheme. In case, the usage of a Service Provider requires the market participant to switch to another certification scheme. The Service Provider makes a software or an applicable interface available to the market participant’s company in order to enable the upload of data to the external data base.

Using track&certify UDB-connect software (or any other product of the track&certify software family) within the company, the market participant is able to transfer all required data encrypted directly to the UDB. Neither a transfer, nor any storage of sensitive data at a third party’s database (e.g. a Service Provider) occurs on the way to the UDB. The market participant retains complete and exclusive control on any sensitive data.