EU reaches agreement on pioneering carbon removal certification framework

Negotiators from the Council and the European Parliament have made an achievement by reaching a provisional political agreement on establishing the first EU-level certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming, and carbon storage in products.

This voluntary framework is designed to expedite the deployment of high-quality carbon removal and soil emission reduction activities in the EU, aligning with the ambitious goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

The proposed regulation establishes monitoring obligations and liability rules, specifying that operators are responsible for addressing any CO2 release (reversal) during the monitoring period.

The agreement mandates the Commission to incorporate clear liability mechanisms, covering reversal cases and addressing incomplete monitoring or non-compliance, potentially involving collective buffers, carbon removal units accounts, and up-front insurance.