Article 7 — Central Union database of default values for greenhouse gas emission factors

1. The Commission, with the technical assistance of the European Environment Agency and, where necessary, with additional and voluntary input of the Member States, relevant stakeholders and other sectoral Union bodies, shall, by 2 June 2028, establish a central Union database. The Commission shall strive to include in the central Union database default values for greenhouse gas emission factors for transport energy carriers typically used in the Union, in some or all Member States. 2. When drawing up the default values for greenhouse gas emission factors, the Commission shall apply the location-based approach provided for in the common methodology referred to in Article 3(1) and, where appropriate, take into account the unique features of different Member States. Without prejudice to the first subparagraph of this paragraph, the Commission shall take into account the greenhouse gas emission factors that have been determined in accordance with Directive (EU) 2018/2001. 3. Where available and appropriate, the central Union database shall include default values for greenhouse gas emission factors agreed by the Union, or in the interest of the Union, at international level. 4. The Commission shall, with the technical assistance of the European Environment Agency, ensure the maintenance, regular update and continuous development, and an appropriate level of security, of the central Union database pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article, taking into account the need for adjustments to any component to the standard as referred to in Article 3(1), the evolution of the technological state of the art in the transport sector, and any new methodological approaches for calculating greenhouse gas emissions. The Commission shall ensure the compatibility and consistency of the central Union database with existing Union legal acts. Whenever default values for greenhouse gas emission factors contained in the central Union database are updated, the Commission shall, without undue delay, make the updated values publicly available. Transport and hub entities and data intermediaries shall use the latest available data to calculate and disclose their greenhouse gas emission information within 18 months of the date on which the update is made publicly available. The obligation to use the updated default values referred to in the second subparagraph shall only apply to new output data to be calculated and disclosed after the update, without requiring the retroactive revision of information already published. 5. Access for the public to the central Union database, in order to consult or use default values for greenhouse gas emission factors for the transport energy carriers, shall be free of charge and shall be provided in all the official languages of the institutions of the Union.