CCS Europe February Newsletter

HEADLINE NEWS

⏰Commission delays IAA...again. If you’ve been following this saga closely, you’ll remember that the IAA was originally scheduled to be unveiled in December 2025 (and that it once included the word “Decarbonisation” in its name). The proposal was later pushed back to 28 January. As noted above, a draft of the IAA was leaked on 19 January, but following initial feedback from industry stakeholders, its adoption by the College was promptly delayed to 25 February.

According to the leaked draft, the IAA would fast-track permitting and public support for decarbonisation and net-zero projects by designating them as strategic and in the overriding public interest. It would also introduce Union-origin and low-carbon content requirements for key products and technologies - including energy-intensive materials, hydrogen, and battery storage - while safeguarding access to critical raw materials and strengthening the regulation of foreign investment in strategic sectors.

 ✌️That is two hearings in two months. Following the public hearing on CCS in the Parliament's ITRE Committee, on 28 January it was the ENVI Committee's turn. The discussion shifted the focus toward a hard truth: the debate often lingers on whether CCS is necessary, yet for hard-to-abate sectors, that question is largely settled. To reach our climate goals, every available mitigation tool must be on the table, and CCS is one of the key ones.

A central takeaway from the session, underscored by our member Bellona Europa, is that large-scale CCS deployment remains a pipe dream without robust CO2 transport and storage infrastructure. These consecutive hearings are vital for maintaining political momentum and fostering the exchange between industry and policymakers needed to move from theory to implementation. With the spotlight firmly on CCS, the pressure is now on to ensure these conversations translate into the regulatory and market certainty the sector requires. You can watch the hearing here.

 🏅The EU sets a gold standard for removals. The European Commission has officially adopted the world’s first voluntary certification framework for permanent carbon removals, marking a major milestone in the race to climate-neutrality by 2050. By establishing clear methodologies for technologies like DACCS, BioCCS, and biochar, the EU is moving beyond theory to create a transparent, regulated market that provides the certainty investors and innovators have been waiting for.

This first set of rules define exactly what constitutes a tonne of removed CO2, ensuring high environmental integrity while tackling long-standing issues like permanence and greenwashing. With the governance framework now in place and a "Buyers' Club" on the horizon, the focus shifts to large-scale deployment. By positioning itself as a global leader in carbon removal standards, the EU is not just incentivising domestic climate tech but setting a robust benchmark for the rest of the world to follow. Read the delegated regulation setting out these rules here.

OUR ACTIVITIES

🚢 CCS Europe joins forces for CO2 transport. We were delighted to partner with Danish Shipping, EuLA, and other key maritime players to present MEPs with five concrete recommendations for the future of CO2 transport and storage. We fully endorse these recommendations, as reaching the EU’s climate goals requires more than just capture - we need robust cross-border infrastructure to connect emitters to storage sites. Check out the recommendations here.

🇵🇱 What is Poland up to? Just after the holiday break, Poland published its updated NECP, and we’ve put it to the test. While the plan acknowledges that CCS and CCU are vital for decarbonising power and hard-to-abate industries, our assessment shows it stops short of defining concrete targets. With grades ranging from a ‘C’ for transport to an ‘E’ for funding, it’s clear that without verified storage and defined financial instruments, CCS in Poland remains a plan in progress rather than a deployment pathway. See how Poland compares to others in our interactive map.

🇪🇺 We met Hoekstra's energy guy. Our members, alongside our Director Bergur, met with Cabinet Hoekstra to discuss the key barriers preventing CCS projects from reaching FID in Europe. The delegation stressed that the IAA must recognise decarbonisation as central to strengthening the competitiveness of Europe’s strategic sectors. To deliver on this objective, its measures should accelerate the ramp-up of net-zero technologies, including carbon capture and storage and CO2 infrastructure. More specifically, the IAA must drive demand creation through a mandatory labelling scheme for low-carbon products in the private sector, alongside mandatory green public procurement rules to ensure public sector leadership.

CCS DEVELOPMENTS FROM AROUND THE BLOC

🇸🇪 Sweden kicks off massive €940 million bio-CCS investment. The Swedish Energy Agency has launched the second call for proposals under its bio-CCS support framework, offering up to €900M (SEK 10 billion) in funding. The support is available to operators with production facilities in Sweden that capture and store CO2 of biogenic origin. Funding can be used to cover both investment and operating costs across the full bio-CCS value chain. Read the full framework here.

🔎 The Nordics' 2026 CCS Roadmap: . The Nordic Council of Ministers has released its report on the future of CCS across the region from 2026 onward. The report reveals a shift toward cross-border infrastructure, highlighting how different national strategies are merging into a unified "Nordic Hub." The report provides a snapshot for anyone interested to know more about how the Nordics are doing industrial carbon management. Read the report here.

🏗️ Aalborg Portland submits landmark bid for Denmark’s largest CCS project. Just this week, cement giant Aalborg Portland officially submitted its bid for the Danish state’s multi-billion kroner CCS subsidy scheme. Their project, ACCSION, developed with our member Air Liquide, aims to capture 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 annually. If successful, it will be the first project in the EU to feature a fully integrated onshore value chain. Get the full story here.