Rulebook on Technical and Other Requirements for Solid Fuels from Wood Biomass adopted

Serbia has gotten the Rulebook on Technical and Other Requirements for Solid Fuels from Wood Biomass which are put on the market of the Republic of Serbia. As announced by the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia (CCIS), it introduces, for the first time, precise technical and other standards for solid fuels from wood biomass, including pellets and briquettes, which are placed on the local market. In addition to technical requests, the Rulebook also encompasses the manner of assessing their harmonization, as well as the rules for the tagging of products.

The pellet which is put on the market will have to go through a laboratory analysis and meet the strict norms regarding the potential content of harmful matters. A special significance of this regulation is reflected in that fact that, in Serbia, for the first time, the physical and chemical characteristics of the wood pellet will be controlled, such as the size, shape, consistency, calory value, humidity level and ash content – but also parameters which directly affect people’s health and the living environment, including the presence of heavy metals – arsenic, cadmium, chrome, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, zinc, as well as sulfur and nitrogen.

Before placing on the market, both the producers and the importers of pellets and other wood fuels will be obligated to carry out a check of the quality with the appointed body. A product available for sale has to be accompanied by the Statement of Harmonization, which is valid until the entire stock from a certain series of wood pellets and wood briquettes is sold out, and these harmonization certifications will be considered valid until the moment of sale.

The adoption of the Rulebook creates conditions for a healthy and fair market competition, stronger consumer protection, inciting a sustainable development of the biomass sector, the biggest renewable energy resource in Serbia, and improving the control of the quality of energy matters from local sources, the CCIS says.

A key role in the initiative for the adoption of this important regulation was played, as added, by the Group for Renewable Energy Sources of the Association for Energy of the CCIS, which recognized the need for regulating the wood biomass market in line with the European and international standards.

– The Ministry of Mining and Energy showed a high degree of understanding and openness toward the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, so in June 2024, it formed the working group for the preparation of the draft Rulebook. Representatives of competent institutions, the profession and the corporate sector took part in the process, and through a wide consultation process, the final text was adopted, which was officially published on April 11, 2025 in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, no. 31/2025 – it is emphasized in the announcement made by the CCIS.

The document (in Serbian) can be found HERE.

Privredna komora Srbije

Rulebook on Technical and Other Requirements for Solid Fuels from Wood Biomass

Chamber of Commerce of Serbia

Group for Renewable Energy Sources of the Association for Energy of the CCIS