ENplus to suspend all certified companies in Russia, Belarus

ENplus is a certification scheme based on values that include an utmost level of social responsibility but also absolute respect to the rule of law. We remain deeply concerned by the aggressive Russian invasion of the sovereign country of Ukraine and strongly condemn this brutal disrespect of democratic principles and violation of human rights.

The actions of the Russian government assisted by Belarus contradict our values and have been perceived by the members of the European Pellet Council (EPC) as completely unacceptable. Therefore, after a meticulous assessment of the situation, the EPC has decided to suspend all ENplus-certified producers, traders, and service providers based in Russia and Belarus as of 15 April 2022. This means that neither these companies will be able to sell ENplus-certified pellets as long as the suspension remains, nor new applications for certification from these two countries will be accepted.

The EPC members made this decision not only considering the intended immediate impact on the Russian and Belarusian companies that comes to reinforce the EU sanctions, but also fully aware of the inevitable negative consequences for a variety of stakeholders and ultimately for the European pellet market. Supporting the Ukrainian people and protecting the scheme’s integrity, however, remain the main concerns behind the suspension.

We are committed to maintaining the certification process intact and in line with our standards and principles for the rest of the pellet businesses in Europe and beyond. Earlier, we have also published a guidance on the implementation of the ENplus requirements for the companies affected by the war in Ukraine.