The EU Council has approved a regulation establishing the first EU-level certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products. The framework is voluntary measure to encourage high-quality carbon removal and soil emission reduction activities in the EU. The regulation covers permanent carbon removals that capture and store atmospheric or biogenic carbon for several centuries, carbon storage activities that capture and store carbon in long-lasting products for at least 35 years, and carbon farming activities over a period of at least 5 years.
The certification schemes for these activities will be available for operators that can comply with the regulations and submit to monitoring, verification and reporting (MVR) requirements. The regulation will be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force 20 days after its publication. The Council expects to establish an electronic EU-wide registry to ensure transparency and full traceability of the certified units within 4 years of its entry into force.
The regulation will be the first step in introducing a comprehensive certification framework for carbon removals and soil emission reductions into EU legislation to help its goal of climate neutrality by 2050.