THE AIB SIMPLIFIES INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER OF ENERGY ATTRIBUTE TRACKING CERTIFICATES
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1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
THE AIB SIMPLIFIES INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER OF ENERGY ATTRIBUTE TRACKING CERTIFICATES
The production, trade, distribution and con- The members of the AIB are diverse: energy EECS® certificates are uniquely identifiable, trad-
sumption of energy can be electronically docu- regulators, transmission system operators, mar- able electronic certificates containing data fields
mented and tracked with energy attribute ket operators, ministries, power exchanges, etc. with standard information including: unique cer-
tracking certificates (EAT). Certificates are held Issuing bodies for GOs are appointed by their tificate number, identity of issuer, country and
in accounts on registration databases, and are government to issue renewable electricity guar- date/time of issue, type of certificate, source of
transferable between account holders. antees of origin under the EU Directives for re- energy, receipt of public support and the type,
newable energy (2018/2001/EU and 2009/28/EC) location, capacity, commissioning date and
The Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) is the and cogeneration (2012/27/EC). During its first 18 identity of the plant. Dependending on the type
leading enabler of international transfer of ener- years of existence, all AIB members were issu- of certificate, more data may be recorded on the
gy attribute tracking certificates, and guarantees ing bodies for electricity GOs. However with the EECS® certificate.
the EECS® System (European Energy Certificate implementation of Directive 2018/2001/EU the
System®). AIB is ready to welcome issuing bodies for gas Members of the AIB first commenced operation
The AIB’s mission is to guarantee the origin of GOs, as EECS® has been designed to facilitate in 2001 and founded the AIB in 2002. Since then
European energy. The AIB unites European issu- multiple energy carriers. and until 2020, well over 5 billion EECS® certifi-
ing bodies of energy attribute tracking systems cates – each representing one megawatt hour of
for all energy carriers and technologies, thereby The EECS® system facilitates harmonised han- electricity from renewable sources – have been
using a decision making structure that respects dling of EAT Systems, including GOs. Such GOs created, and 85% of these have been used. Over
their varying identities while allowing for con- have the function of proving to a final customer 760 million EECS® Certificates were issued in
tinuous evolution. the source of the energy they consume. EECS® 2020 and over 730 million were used, demon-
It does so by promoting a practical and effective is well-tested, and based on a harmonised envi- strating the high level of acceptance of the AIB’s
energy certification system for Europe, including ronment, structures and procedures. It ensures services. This growth reflects the increasing de-
guarantees of origin (GOs) as prescribed by the the reliable operation of international energy mand for certification of renewable electricity for
European legislative framework. It takes no other attribute tracking certificate systems across Eu- use in the disclosure of fuel mix.
political positions, such as the design of national rope, and has proved to be highly effective, effi-
support systems. The AIB also operates a hub cient, fraud-resistant and low cost. Early 2021, the
that connects the registries of the AIB members EECS® framework enables transfers of EECS®
and through which EECS® certificates are trans- certificates between account holders within and
ferred. between 30 countries and regions.
WHAT ARE THE EECS® RULES?
Purpose of the EECS® Rules The purpose of the EECS® Rules is to make sure, obligations of AIB Members. These obligations
The EECS® Rules govern the European Energy in a manner consistent with European Commu- are owed to the AIB: the EECS® Rules does not
Certificate System. This forms an integrated nity law and relevant national legislation, that in itself create duties or obligations owed to third
framework for issuing, holding, transferring and certificate systems operating within the EECS® parties, nor does it create obligations that are en-
otherwise processing electronic energy certifi- framework are reliable, secure and inter-oper- forceable (other than under the umbrella of the
cates (EECS® Certificates) in Europe. These cer- able. The implementation, under the EECS® AIB) between Members themselves. Such obli-
tify, in relation to specific quantities of energy, Rules, of harmonised standards for issuing and gations are reenforced by members’ signature
attributes of its source and/or the method and processing EECS® Certificates makes it possible of the Hub Participants Agreement (HPA), which
quality of its production. for the owners of EECS® Certificates to transfer is a commercial agreement binding members to
For example, the number of certificates issued to them to other account holders both in the same the terms of use of the AIB’s inter-registry Hub.
a wind turbine in a period will be directly pro- country, and in other countries. The effectiveness of the EECS® Rules in achiev-
portional to the electricity produced by that wind ing its purpose depends on the AIB, which as-
turbine. These certificates guarantee that the Effect of the EECS® Rules sumes a regulatory function. In this regard, the
electricity has in effect been produced from wind The EECS® Rules is a constitutional docu- AIB relies in part on Members conducting “peer
energy and has not been claimed for usage yet. ment of the AIB, and sets out the membership reviews” of each other’s systems. ▸1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
▸ Members’ duties in relation to the areas for EECS® Certificates may be based on guarantees a Domain Protocol and the Member’s Standard
which they are responsible (Domains) include of origin issued pursuant to European Com- Terms and Conditions.
oversight of their customers’ compliance with munity legislation as implemented by Member A Domain Protocol describes how the EECS®
obligations that are not adequately covered by States. They may also be issued in connection system is implemented in a specific Domain.
applicable legislation. with other legislative certification schemes or It supplements the local laws and regulations,
under other, entirely voluntary, arrangements. making sure that the Domain Scheme is in
Where such matters fall within their jurisdic- line with the general and specific requirements
tion, supervision by governmental agencies and Every EECS® Certificate is processed under the of the EECS® Rules. The Standard Terms and
national regulators of the activities of Members same requirements described in the EECS® Conditions contractually oblige the Member’s
and their customers also assures the coherence Rules. In addition, the EECS® Rules impose customers to comply with the Domain Protocol.
and reliability of EECS®. requirements specific to electricity or gases Standard Terms and Conditions also deal with
(whether these are biomethane, hydrogen or commercial matters such as service provision
Structure of EECS® other gases). and the Member’s fees.
The EECS® Rules establishes a harmonised For a Member to become a member of an in-
standard for the creation, maintenance, trans- dividual EECS® Scheme (electricity or gas), the Account holders are not bound by the EECS®
fer, cancellation and other processing of EECS® rules applicable in that Member’s Domain - its Rules itself, but by the applicable legislation in
Certificates. The EECS® Rules and the Hub Par- Domain Scheme - must satisfy both the general their Domain and their contractual obligations
ticipant Agreement require Members to adopt requirements of the EECS® Rules and the spe- to comply with relevant Domain Protocols.
these standards as a pre-condition for participa- cific requirements for that EECS® Scheme.
tion (as a Scheme Member) in individual EECS®
Schemes: the parts of the EECS® framework A Domain Scheme consists of the applicable
which relate to specific types of energy output, legislation and administrative arrangements re-
such as electricity, gas etc. garding the issue of certificates, together with
AIB MEMBERSHIP HOW DOES EECS® WORK?
FOLLOWED BY EECS®
SCHEME MEMBERSHIP
Registration of Plants Issuing of EECS® Certificates
EECS® Certificates can only be issued to the Once a plant has been registered, then it is eli-
It is possible to be an AIB member before fully owners of energy production plants that are reg- gible to receive EECS® Certificates.
complying with the EECS® Rules. A separate set istered in the database of an AIB memberEECS® Measurements of the energy created (and used,
of conditions has to be met for membership to Scheme. Registration involves a formal applica- where combustible fuels have been used) will be
the association respectively for participating in tion. taken by the body approved to do so by the Issu-
the relevant EECS® Scheme. When applying for Application for registration under EECS® re- ing Body, or authorised to do so by the Compe-
AIB membership, the applicant agrees to strive quires the plant owner to provide information tent Body appointed by government to take such
for compliance with the EECS® Rules. Working about itself and the plant, including the relevant measurements for that Domain.
towards this, the member is assisted by another technology and possible energy sources, com- Only EECS® Certificates which represent energy
AIB member as single point of contact (SPOC) missioning dates and capacities and details of flowing into the grid are released onto the mar-
and by a pair of reviewers of the application for public support received. Such applications must ket for trade. EECS® Certificates are issued for
Scheme membership. Issuance of EECS® Certif- also include details of the arrangements for production nett of any energy used by produc-
icates and their cross border exchange with the measuring energy sources and outputs, includ- tion auxiliaries or (for a pumped storage plant)
AIB members, is only possible after approval of ing the presence of any production auxiliaries, for pumping water back to the header lake.
the EECS® Scheme Membership. pumping stations and on-site demand. Certificates representing the source of the en-
Upon registration the plant must comply with ergy used by production auxiliaries and pumping
legal requirements and the requirements of the (and perhaps on-site demand) are normally not
relevant EECS® Scheme as set out in the Do- issued, or are automatically cancelled upon issue
main Scheme – the Issuing Body is entitled to – see diagram below. ▸
inspect the plant to confirm this. Any changes to
the plant must be notified to the Issuing Body.1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
The EECS® framework ensures that all stake- • Transfer. EECS® Certificates may be trans-
holders can trust the certificates issued and pro- ferred from the account of the producer to
cessed by any member of the AIB. that of a trader or energy supplier, and from
there to the accounts of other traders and
Certificate Life Cycle energy suppliers; either within the country
The life cycle of an EECS® Certificate includes of origin or to other registries operated by,
three phases: issuance, transfer and cancellation or on behalf of, AIB Members across Europe.
or expiry. The way in which a certificate transits
between the major states is shown in the follow- • Cancellation. This is the mechanism whereby
ing diagram: the EECS® Certificate is removed from cir-
culation. Cancellation happens at the point at
Use of EECS® Certificates which the value of the Certificate is realised,
Certification of the quality of a product and the for example a supplier has supplied „green
method of its production, whether this product is electricity“ to its customer with a green elec-
energy or physical in nature, provides an efficient tricity contrac. EECS® Certificate are mostly
mechanism for accounting for: cancelled in connection with payment from a
• the quality and method of production of such consumer in recognition of the qualities rep-
products, as supplied to consumers; resented by certificate. The EECS® Rules pro-
• progress made towards targets for the use of vides for EECS® Certificates to be cancelled
certain technologies; and only once, at which point they may be used to
• production and/or consumption of such prod- adjust any residual mix.
ucts, for the purposes of stimulating invest-
ment in certain categories of plant. The diagram illustrates two other states:
• Withdrawal. Certificates that have been issued
Moreover, certification allows a value to be given in error may be withdrawn from the market;
to specific types of a product (for example “green • Expiry. Certificates that have not been can-
electricity”) and for this to be traded separately to • Issuance. Electronic EECS® Certificates are is- celled by a deadline and have thus been au-
the product itself. sued in registries operated by, or on behalf of, tomatically cancelled are said to have expired.
An effective certification system must be able AIB Members for the output of plants regis- At this point, they can’t be traded anymore but
to prove to stakeholders – producers, traders, tered under national legislation or, otherwise, they may be used to adjust any residual mix.
suppliers, consumers, NGOs and governments specifically for the purposes of an EECS®
– that the certificates provide reliable evidence. Scheme.
WHY JOIN THE AIB?
The issuers of internationally transferable energy transfers EECS® certificates between registries. pool their resources and experience to resolve
attribute tracking certificates (such as GOs) face The AIB also provides a platform for members to challenges that arise from new legislation to the
the same challenge: to develop an accurate, re- address issues of common relevance, such as the benefit of their systems.
liable, fraud-resistant system, which supports calculation of national residual mixes.
national and international legislation and is har- By cooperating with the Concerted Action on the
monised with the systems of other countries; Apart from this, the AIB also liaises with govern- RES Directive, the AIB raised with national gov-
and to do so quickly and cost-effectively. mental stakeholders. The AIB organises meet- ernments issues arising from national support
ings for the competent authorities for disclosure schemes, and having an international impact. In
The AIB offers a standardised solution, based on to discuss issues of mutual importance. Further, this way it can help protect policy objectives.
years of experience; and the support of mem- the AIB cooperates with the European Commis-
bers who have already implemented systems, sion, seeking solutions to issues of common Finally, the AIB is a liaison member of CEN/
and identified and overcome solutions to many interest, to ensure that EECS® complies with CENELEC, and contributes to ensuring that
common problems. European legislation. By briefing the Commis- EECS® continues to meet the CEN/CENELEC
sion on common issues, the AIB can beneficially EN16325 standard for guarantees of origin
The members of the AIB pool their common ex- influence system design on behalf of its mem- (which was itself based on EECS®).
periences and resources to develop systems such bers. This is particularly useful where interna-
as EECS®, and the inter-registry Hub, which tional legislation changes: members of the AIB1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
LINK BETWEEN EECS® AND CEN EN16325
The CEN EN16325 standard for GOs, developed that continuous developments are needed and In addition, EECS® facilitates a broader scale of
in 2013, was based on the EECS® Rules. Its on- that details are subject to dynamic change. The energy certification than just Guarantees of Ori-
going revision builds upon the updated EECS® AIB has a democratic decision making structure gin. This enables the development of solutions
Rules, for the principles of certificate administra- for continuous quality management of services for upcoming needs in a harmonised way, while
tion and scheme-specific rules for different en- and for the various levels of documentation of in constant dialogue with Issuing Bodies from all
ergy carriers. While the EECS® Rules will ensure EECS®. This way, the AIB facilitates both efficient over Europe.
to stay aligned with any EN16215 revision, em- and reliable handling of GOs in line with their
bedding the full size of EECS® in a CEN stan- purpose as set by legislation.
dard is not advisable. Indeed, time has proven
HOW TO JOIN THE AIB
If you are an issuing body for guarantees of (2) Apply for membership of the AIB - complete
Step 1: Internal set-up
origin or other Energy Attribute Certificates and the letter of application and its annexed ques-
you would like to see how the AIB works for a tionnaire, and get approval of the AIB Board.
trial year at no cost, then you may apply for “Ob- a) Appointment of Issuing Body
server” status. Upon signature to the observer (3) Apply for EECS® Scheme membership for gas National government appoints an Issuing Body
agreement, you will have access to relevant parts and/or electricity: prepare a Domain Scheme, by for obligatory schemes.
of the Member section of the AIB website, but drafting a Domain Protocol setting out how the The Issuing Body must be financially indepen-
will not be entitled to take part in decision-mak- market will operate in that geographical domain dent of market participants; it may not profit
ing, however your views are most welcome. After (usually a country), and standard terms and con- from trade in certificates; and it must undertake
this first year, an observer fee will be due. ditions for accountholders. Get adequate insur- to ensure that it operates according to the rules
Membership of the AIB consists of two parts: ance. Sign a Hub Participant Agreement with the of EECS.
(1) AIB membership and (2) membership of the AIB including the terms of use for the AIB hub. The rules of EECS® are set out in the “Principles
EECS® Electricity and/or EECS® Gas Scheme. In parallel, test registry software or services. and Rules of Operation for the European Energy
Any issuing body with legal personality under its Certificate System” (known as the EECS® Rules).
national law that fills out the application form (4) Gain approval from the relevant EECS
and agrees to comply with the EECS® Rules can Scheme Group (the working groups within AIB Responsibility
apply for AIB membership. This will be granted dealing with issues related to specific energy car- The Issuing Body is responsible for:
by the AIB Board and validated by the General riers). Following a review of the Domain Scheme • Inspecting all plants that wish to participate;
Meeting. by the AIB, gain its approval of Scheme Member- • Issuing, transferring ownership of and can-
ship, then connect to the AIB Hub. celling and expiring EECS® Certificates;
Issuing bodies that have been granted member- • Recording in an electronic registry the details
ship of the AIB (“Members”) pay the member- The rest of this document and its annex (“Check- of all issued Certificates;
ship fee. They can vote, and get access to the full list for applying to become an AIB Member and • Complying with the EECS® Rules and the
Members section of the website. connecting to the AIB Production HUB”) de- Articles of Association of the AIB.
Next step is application for Scheme membership scribes these steps in more detail.
of the EECS® Electricity or Gas Scheme. b) Appointment of Agents
Any questions should be addressed to the Secre- To fulfil its responsibilities, the Issuing Body can,
The procedure for setting up an AIB infrastruc- tary General at liesbeth.switten@aib-net.org, or if it wishes, appoint:
ture in a country is as follows: call +32 (486) 55 83 01. The website is also avail-
(1) Internal set-up - appoint an Issuing Body able, at https://www.aib-net.org. • A Production Registrar, to inspect plants on
and, if required, appoint agents to support the application from Generators and to verify energy
activities of the Issuing Body. Select, implement consumption.
and configure registry software This ensures that the requirements of the
EECS® Rules and the Domain Protocol are satis-
fied.1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
• An Auditing Body, to verify the continued Step 3: Apply for EECS® Scheme (i) Preparing the Domain Protocol
fulfilment of the conditions for registration ac- membership for gas and/or and the cross reference matrix
cording to the standards set out in a Domain After AIB membership is approved by the Board
electricity
Protocol. the applicant will be asked to develop its Domain
This will include comparing registered gener- Protocol – according to a standardised template
ation capacity with the issued number of certifi- a) Prepare the Domain Scheme with a guide for how to write it at https://www.
cates and other relevant data (e.g. wind speeds) The “Domain Scheme” describes the implemen- aib-net.org/eecs/fact_sheets. The applicant will
tation of EECS® in a specific geographic area. It fill out the associated cross-reference matrix
• A Registry Operator, to administer the elec- comprises: that links the sections of the Domain Protocol to
tronic registry. dedicated sections of the EECS® Rules.
This registry records details of the certificates 1. The Domain Protocol, which describes how
that have either been issued for, or held by, par- EECS® is implemented in this domain The Domain Protocol sets out how the applicant
ticipants within this country. The registry also re- will apply the EECS® Rules within the context
cords the status (transferable, cancelled, expired, 2. A cross-reference matrix, based on that in- of its own national laws and operational pro-
imported or exported) and owner of each certifi- cluded in the Review Proformas document, and cedures, and within its geographic area. Issues
cate. associating provisions of the Domain Protocol that are not in line with the EECS® are listed as
with specific EECS® Rules in order to provide deviations. Typical issues which differ between
(c) Selection, Implementation and proof that the provisions of all EECS® Rules have countries and are addressed in a Domain Pro-
Configuration of Registry Software been met tocol include: verification and audit of plants,
Setting up a registry is the responsibility of the measurement of the proportion of RES-E gen-
Issuing Body, which can develop its own soft- 3. Standard Terms and Conditions (STC), which erated from biomass and/or pumped hydro, and
ware; or use commercially available software (see set out the terms and conditions under which disclosure rules.
https://www.aib-net.org/facts/eecs-registries/ registry account holders may use the issuing
service-providers). body’s registry The reviewers will help the applicant to resolve
any issues that arise during the development of
Prior to completion of the review process, the 4. The Hub Participants Agreements (HPA), these documents. Where they consider that the
Registry Software must be operational. which provides the contractual framework for information in the Domain Protocol is insuf-
the legal relationship both between members, ficient, unclear or identifies areas of potential
and between the AIB and its members. It in- non-compliance, they will seek to resolve this
Step 2: Apply for AIB membership cludes a framework to limit the potential liabil- with the applicant. Where it is not possible to
ity of the AIB and all AIB members. The Issuing resolve any such issues, then the reviewers will
Body should also ensure appropriate insurance inform the applicant and place the matter before
The Issuing Body applies in writing to the AIB for its certificate system under the Hub Partici- the next Scheme Group meeting of the AIB for
Secretariat to become a member using the ap- pant Agreement. its decision.
plication form, including a questionnaire, which
are to be found at: https://www.aib-net.org/aib/ 5. Reply to two questionnaires: (ii) Prepare to sign the Hub Participants
how-join a. Data sheet on GOs and disclosure Agreement and find adequate
The Secretary General of the AIB will conduct b. Restrictions on trade, cancellation and expiry insurance
an initial review of the application form in order The applicant shall agree with signing the Hub
to identify any immediately obvious barriers to For its procedure of application of account hold- Participant Agreement. This document is a con-
membership. Where possible, these will be re- ers to participate in the Domain Scheme, it is ad- tract between the AIB and the applicant, and
solved with the applicant. The Board will then vised that the issuing body requires all account includes the terms of use of the Hub and a li-
approve the AIB membership application, to be holders to fill in a “Know Your Customer” (KyC) ability arrangement aimed at protecting the AIB
validated by the AIB members in the subsequent form (a template f is available on request from and its members from claims by market partici-
General Meeting. the Secretariat, together with the associated pro- pants. Where national law etc. hinders signature
posed scoring methodology and best practice of this document as it stands, the applicant may
The AIB holds two General Meetings each year guide). Doing so limits the risk of registration by propose special conditions for the consideration
to consider matters concerning the strategy and fraudulent parties. of the AIB.
administration of the AIB. These meetings offer
members the opportunity to catch up on recent The AIB will appoint a pair of reviewers to con- An essential precondition for AIB’s signature to
events and take part in decision-making. sider the application for Scheme membership: the Hub Participant Agreement is that the appli-
The General meeting validates the board deci- usually, one will be a member representative cant has obtained adequate insurance for operat-
sion regarding the membership to the associa- and the other will be an independent specialist. ing its system.
tion. The reviewers will guide and review the Domain
Scheme development.1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
(iii) Prepare Standard Terms & (v) Test the Registry Software Step 4: Gain AIB approval
Conditions (STC) In parallel to the document review of the applica-
Account holders in the Issuing Body’s registry tion, there is a set of technical tests. The review-
have to agree with the limitation of the liability ers also check that the registry complies with the a) A ssessment of the Domain
of the AIB and its members. The Standard Terms requirements of the EECS® Rules and its Subsid- Scheme Review
and Conditions must be based on the AIB mod- iary Documents, and in particular the subsidiary When the review is finalised, the reviewers
el, which is available at https://www.aib-net.org/ document SD03, otherwise known as HubCom, will present the results in a meeting open to
eecs/standard_terms_conditions. This is a vital which can be found here: https://www.aib-net. all Scheme members to consider the Domain
element in the liability arrangement put in place org/eecs/subsidiary_documents. Scheme. Members of the AIB will be invited to
by the Hub Participants Agreement. It must be discuss any issues arising, following which the
signed by all future registry account holders be- The applicant and the AIB SuperUser will then application will be put to the vote to the relevant
fore they are allowed to use the registry. need to test the proper integration of the regis- Scheme Group (one of AIB’s working groups),
try software and the AIB Hub in order to ensure and Scheme membership will be granted to the
(iv) Process during the Application that the transfer of certificates to and from other applicant provided 75% of the votes cast are in
for Scheme Membership EECS® registries is both secure and reliable. For favour.
Upon completion, the applicant should send further information about the registry compli-
each of the above documents to the reviewers. ance testing, contact the SuperUser, who will ad- When its application has been approved, the new
The reviewers check the documents for con- minister the testing process on behalf of the AIB. Scheme Member must provide the secretariat
formity with the EECS® Rules and Subsidiary Currently the SuperUser role is fulfilled by Grex- with details of its national support schemes, and
Documents, and in particular to ensure that el, whereas the AIB hub is operated by Unicorn the geographical map coordinate standards used
they comply with the core principles of EECS®. Systems. in its Domain. It must set-up the reporting pro-
The applicant will be asked to explain any provi- cedure for the AIB statistics.
sions that seem unclear to the reviewers, and any Scheme Membership, with all of its rights and
Email: hub.support@grexel.com
which do not appear to comply with the EECS® duties, becomes operative the working day after
Tel: +358 (9) 4241 3164
Rules or the principles of proper disclosure. The the Domain Protocol has been approved by the
applicant may then be required to amend its Do- Scheme Group, unless the latter decided other-
main Protocol, and perhaps its operational prac- This testing consists out of 2 phases: wise.
tice, accordingly. In extreme cases, regulations 1. Test of the Registry connection: a procedure Scheme Membership is necessary before the
and legislation may need to be revisited. Hence to be followed to connect the registry with the member can issue and transfer EECS® certifi-
the review process can take a number of months. AIB hub cates and vote at AIB meetings.
This is necessary to ensure that international
transfer of EECS® Certificates or GOs does not 2. Technical audit: an exchange of a series of b) Connect to the AIB Hub
have any unintended side-effects. transfer messages will validate whether the cor- The applicant and AIB SuperUser will test the
rect type of reply is being received at the hub proper integration of the registry software and
The reviewers will then inform the Secretary from the connecting registry. The technical audit the AIB Hub in order to ensure that the transfer
General that they have approved the Domain will be validated by AIB’s Information Systems of certificates is both secure and reliable
Protocol, or that they have discovered matters of Unit (one of its working groups).
principal which either prevent its acceptance by c) Live operation
the AIB, or regarding the acceptability of which Once the SuperUser is satisfied that the registry At this point, the Issuing Body can start register-
they seek the advice of the Scheme Group within conforms with EECS® and has passed the test, ing production devices and issuing EECS® Cer-
AIB. then they will inform the Secretary General, who tificates.
will approve connection to the Hub after Step 4
Sometimes during a review suggestions are has been completed: the Domain Scheme has
brought forward for improvement of either the been approved by the Scheme Group; and that
Scheme-specific or generic section of the EECS® the Scheme Group has not imposed any special
Rules. These will be brought to the relevant conditions upon connection e.g. it might require
Scheme Group or to the EECS® Unit for consid- certain assurances to be provided first. Hub con-
eration and potential subsequent decision. nection is no prerequisite for Scheme member-
ship though.1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
ANNEX 1: AIB MEMBERSHIP FEES
The AIB membership fee distributes the costs of has imported plus those it has exported during by reference to the table “AIB Membership Fee
providing services equitably between members. the previous year (certificates that have been can- Structure” below. The activity level is expressed in
It reflects the greater benefits received by larger celled for use in another member country. ‘Ex- number of TWh transferred between countries,
members and by those with a wider scope of op- domain cancellations’, or EDCs) are considered reflected by certificates.
erations (e.g. those whose scope encompasses to be both an import and an export.
both renewable electricity and cogeneration), Where more than one member exists in a coun-
and the greater costs incurred by the AIB in pro- There is a separate fee for each Scheme an Is- try (e.g. the three regions of Belgium plus Fed-
viding services to such organisations. suing Body is a member of. Within the AIB each eral Belgium), then the membership fee for the
Scheme Group is responsible for setting the whole country reflects the combined activity of
AIB members membership fees and keeping a balanced budget. the members within that country and is shared
Membership fees are based on the category of according to a pre-agreed formula.
member, which is determined by its ‘activity’, be- The size of the membership fee depends on the
ing the number of certificates that this member member’s “activity level”, and can be determined
Table AIB Membership Fee Structure
Small Medium Large
Membership fee per country 5 500 € 33 000 € 71 000 €
Activity (import, export and EDCs included) Up to 4 TWh From 4 TWh to 8 TWh More than 8 TWh
Votes per country 10 20 30
Where activity is an exact number of TWh, then the lower membership category will be assumed - e.g. 4TWh = category S.
The invoicing of your membership fee will be total amount of transfers results in a higher cat- Applicants and observers
divided into the following three steps. egory of membership. If this is the case, your Applicants for Scheme Membership will pay
invoice will also contain the rest amount of the 5 500 € until application is approved by the
A. First Instalment corresponding fee of the higher category of Scheme Group. Even after approval it is unlikely
The initial membership fee in year X will be cal- membership. For the avoidance of doubt, it is that transfers in the first year will go above the
culated based on the total number of transfers not possible to go to a lower category of mem- threshold for “medium” as set above.
(expressed in TWh) in year X-1. bership.
The first instalment will cover 50% of the total The second instalment will therefore be invoiced Scheme Observers pay no fee for the first calen-
initial fee and will be invoiced during the first in the third quarter of year X. dar year, and 5 500 € starting the second calen-
quarter of X. dar year of being an observer. Note that during
C. Final Instalment the first calendar year, they may be asked to pay
B. Second Instalment The final instalment will be calculated based on a cost-covering attendance fee to the Scheme
The second instalment will cover the other 50% the total number of transfers in year X. Group as decided by the Board. Existing AIB
of the initial fee. If the total of transfers leads to a higher category Scheme members do not need to pay this Ob-
In July we will calculate the total transfers from of membership, you will receive your final instal- server fee to other Schemes as they already con-
01.01.X to 30.06.X and determine whether the ment invoice in the first quarter of year X+1. tribute financially.1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
ANNEX 2: CHECKLIST FOR APPLYING TO BECOME AN AIB MEMBER & CONNECTING TO THE HUB
Before being an observer OBSERVER
From Observer to Member
MEMBER
Joining a Scheme
SCHEME MEMBER
Implement EECS registry software
and test connection with AIB Test HUB
TESTED
Prepare to connect to Update information
AIB Production Hub on AIB website
READY TO CONNECT
Open the connection
To the AIB Production Hub
CONNECTED After go-live
Joining the AIB – Route map ▸1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
ANNEX 2: CHECKLIST FOR APPLYING TO BECOME AN AIB MEMBER & CONNECTING TO THE HUB
Done/
Task Check Who “Joining the AIB” Date Notes
1. Non-Observer
Contact the Secretary General to show Newcomer STEP 1
interest in joining the AIB
Read the “Joining the AIB” document Newcomer STEP 1
Define who has the mandate to sign Newcomer STEP 1
agreements and who can apply for
Becoming membership to AIB
a
Scheme Assign an Issuing Body and a competent Newcomer STEP 1
Observer authority
Review and sign the AIB Scheme Observer Newcomer STEP 1
Agreement
Grant Scheme Observer status AIB Board STEP 1
Provide “Observer” level of access to the Secretary General STEP 1
website
2. You are now a Scheme Observer, preparing for membership to the association
Attend a General Meeting and/or Unit/ Newcomer STEP 2
Scheme Group as a Scheme Observer
(not mandatory)
Assign a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) Not mandatory AIB External ANY TIME
Affairs Unit
Get familiar with the EECS Rules, the Request SPOC Newcomer STEP 2
Articles of Association (AoA) and Hub or Secretary General
Participants Agreement (HPA) for documents
Implement or update GO and Disclosure Ensure avoidance Newcomer STEP 2
legislation in line with EECS framework of double claims in
(where necessary) Domain. Optional
From check by AIB reviewers
Scheme or Secretary General.
Observer Apply to the AIB to become an AIB member Formal letter of Newcomer STEP 3
to application and
AIB questionnaire,
Member membership
representative form
Review the application for AIB membership Secretary General STEP 3
Approve the application of AIB membership Board STEP 3
Assign Reviewers, assign Competent Secretary General STEP 3
Authority Code and Issuing Body Code
(Fact Sheet 4)
Provide “member” level of access to the Secretary General STEP 3
AIB website, plus access to relevant Unit/
Scheme Group sections
Pay the minimum membership fee based Newcomer STEP 3
on invoice from AIB1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
Done/
Task Check Who „Joining the AIB“ Date Notes
3. You are an AIB member, now prepare for Scheme membership
Draft a Domain Protocol (DP), a Cross Domain Protocol Newcomer STEP 4
Reference Matrix, fill out survey on the template in FactSheet
limitations for trade, expiry and cancellation 10a, Cross reference
and the datasheet on GO and disclosure Matrix is Subsidiary
and draft Standard Terms and Conditions Document 07
(STCs) according to the templates available
on the AIB website
Have your legal advisor review the Hub Hub Participant Newcomer STEP 4
Participants Agreement (HPA) and identify Agreement
any special conditions that might be
needed
Procure liability insurance Advice from your legal Newcomer STEP 4
adviser/ corporative
insurance policy
Initiate contact with the Super User to AIB member
have initial discussion regarding technical
requirements
Assign reviewers to review all required Secretary General STEP 4
documentation including the Domain
Protocol (DP) and Standard Terms and
Conditions (STCs)
Review the required documentation Reviewers STEP 4
Joining (Domain Protocol, Cross Reference Matrix,
a survey on the limitations for trade, expiry
Scheme and cancellation and the datasheet on GO
and disclosure and the STCs, applicable
legislation, statistics publication, etc).
Reviewers to agree the proposed first
production period for issuing EECS
certificates with new member, and to align
the documentation exchange process
accordingly.
Dialogue with the reviewers on modifying
and refining the required documentation
in preparation for Scheme membership
approval.
Organise review teleconference open Reviewers/
to all members to discuss the Scheme newcomer
membership application and resolve
outstanding issues
Approve the Scheme Membership, Scheme Group STEP 5
Domain Protocol, and Standard Terms and
Conditions
Approve the HPA Special Conditions AIB Board
Sign the Hub Participant Agreement Newcomer/ STEP 5
Secretary General/
Board Chair1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
Done/
Task Check Who „Joining the AIB“ Date Notes
4. Preparing registry for connection to AIB Hub as a Scheme Member
5. Ready to prepare connection to Production AIB Hub
6. Administrative updates on AIB website
7. Ready to Connect to AIB Hub
8. Connected to AIB Hub
Follow the Code of Practice document Superuser STEP 8
to monitor transfers
Become familiar with the data collection Newcomer STEP 8
for the monthly AIB statistics and the
annual European Attribute Mix calculation
After which is completed by AIB
go-live Comply with EEES rules reporting Newcomer STEP 8
obligations (e.g. C.7.1.3, E.3.34)
Conduct the first Domain Audit Reviewers STEP 8
one year after go-live
Conduct subsequent Domain Audit Reviewers STEP 8
every 3 years1 September 2011
Joining the AIB
February 2021
ANNEX 3: AIB ORGANISATIONAL CHART
The Units • Amend the Scheme specific parts of the
Units (formerly called Workgroups) meet as nec- EECS® Rules
essary, sometimes monthly but more usually bi- • Approve and amend EECS® Rules template
monthly. These address ongoing issues, such as: for “Standard Terms and Conditions” be-
• Regulation of the Association tween members and Market Participants and
• Development of the EECS® standard • Approve Domain Protocol changes
• Registry-registry communications • Approve member audits
• Communications with members and third
parties. The General Meeting
The General Meeting gathers all AIB members. It
The Scheme Groups used to meet quarterly at varying locations in Eu-
Scheme groups deal with issues related to spe- rope, but after the reorganisation this is brought
cific energy carriers. They consist of the Scheme back to two meetings. Its decisions are advised
Members of a specific EECS® Scheme: by the Units, Scheme Groups and Task Forces,
a. Electricity Scheme group and implemented by the Board and Secretariat.
b. Gas Scheme group The GM has specific competences including ap-
The Board proving the strategy, the annual accounts and
The Board is responsible for the management Each Scheme Group is responsible for its own the AIB budget.
of the AIB and had residual powers. It meets budget and way of decision making:
monthly, alternating physical meetings with tele- • S et the level of Group Membership fees The Secretariat
conferences. The general cycle of meetings is (within the minumum and maximum deter- The General Meeting, Board and working groups
organised so that budgetary plans are approved mined by the GM) are supported by the Secretariat.
at the November General Meeting and the an- • Approve the Scheme Group budget
nual accounts are approved at the May General • Appoint and dismiss chair of Scheme Groups
Meeting. • Organise events for external parties
Association of Issuing Bodies
The AIB is a non-profit-making
international association (ivzw/aisbl)
Phone: +32 (486) 55 83 01
Website: https://www.aib-net.org
Email: info@aib-net.org
Registered offices
Viserkopersstraat 13
B-1000 Brussels
Belgium
Registered in Belgium
Registration number
(numero d’entreprise)
0.864.645.330
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