Acceptance of European Union (EU) Customs “Application for action”

As part of the fight against ENplus^® fraud, Bioenergy Europe sent an “Application for action” to Custom Authorities at Community (European Union) level to enforce the intellectual property rights (IPRs) of ENplus^®, which has been accepted.

This means that, from now on, all Custom Agencies across the 27 European Union (EU) member states are invited to intervene, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation No. 608/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 12, 2013 - to check goods passing through their borders, to contact us in case they suspect ENplus^® related fraud, and to seize infringing goods if requested by us to do so.

With the growth of the ENplus^® scheme, our certification increasingly appears as an essential sales argument to professionals and end users, requiring additional measures to protect it. Through this project, we are aiming to improve and extend our actions in tackling fraud, by involving Custom Agencies in the seizing of counterfeit ENplus^® pellets/bags passing through National Customs Offices.

We are convinced that these measures will reinforce the protection of ENplus^® and will discourage fraudulent parties from violating fair competition rules, leading to a more equitable market for all ENplus^® certified companies. Based on this action’s success, Bioenergy Europe may solicitate an extension for it in the future. You can find further information regarding the ENplus^® requirements in the Handbook and more details about this application and the enforcement of IPRs with EU Custom Agencies here.