CCS Europe Newsletter 

HEADLINE NEWS

🌍 2040 climate target: delayed but not forgotten. The vote on the EU’s 2040 climate target has been bumped to 20 October, and with it, Europe will miss the UN deadline for submitting its updated NDC ahead of COP30. That’s a problem because the proposed 66.3–72.5% emissions cuts by 2035 just won’t cut it.

“Our message is simple: no delay, no excuses,” said Bergur Løkke Rasmussen. “Europe must maintain climate leadership and lock in ambition with binding targets.” We’re calling on EU leaders to turn bold talk into binding action, including a major push for scalable climate solutions like CCS. Read our reaction on LinkedIn.

🧱 A vision for 2040. With the ETS heading toward its endgame by 2040, heavy industry is on the clock, and CCS is non-negotiable. The real challenge now? Turning that long-term target into a viable carbon economy that supports full value chains, clears regulatory bottlenecks, and de-risks early investment.

In yet another blog, Bergur Løkke Rasmussen lays out what the EU needs to do to make CCS work at scale: clear storage targets, transport rules that don’t stop at borders, and support for the first movers building out infrastructure. If we want hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement, and chemicals in a net-zero Europe, we need a comprehensive CCS roadmap and we need it now. Read the full blog here.

📊 One year since Draghi: what’s actually moved? It’s been a year since the Draghi Report laid out a bold vision for Europe’s competitiveness with a clear nod to CCS. So… how far have we come? The short answer: some progress, but plenty of gaps.

CCS is now officially in the club - recognised in the Clean Industrial Deal and Climate Law Amendment - but we’re still waiting on meaningful movement in financing, permitting, and infrastructure. No ETS top-ups, no CCfDs, and that Industrial Decarbonisation Bank? Still MIA. Consultations are nice, but we need pipelines, storage, and fast-tracked permits if CCS is going to keep pace with climate ambition. Read our full analysis.

OUR ACTIVITIES

🚂 Denmark: building the CCS train while riding it. Denmark has gone full steam ahead on CCS, designing regulations, setting up support schemes, and laying down infrastructure tracks while the train was already moving. It hasn’t all been smooth riding, but the result? Hard-won experience that other EU countries can now learn from. In his latest blog, Bergur makes the case for turning Denmark’s lessons into an EU-wide blueprint and for ditching the idea that CCS is niche. It’s not. It’s essential. Read the full blog here.

✉️ Team CCS slides into the EU-UK inbox. CCS Europe, alongside 55+ industry and civil society heavyweights, sent a joint letter to President von der Leyen, UK PM Keir Starmer, and other top EU and UK officials. The ask? Turn ETS alignment into climate delivery by fast-tracking talks on cross-border CO₂ transport and storage and set up a dedicated CCUS Working Group under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. With CCUS vital to both sides’ net-zero plans, coordinated action now means fewer delays (and less hot air) later. 👉 Read the full letter here.

🧠 Workshop wisdom, fresh from the field. Last week, CCS Europe and our members - including Clean Air Task Force, European Lime Association (EuLA), and Fluxys - joined the Commission’s workshop on CO₂ market and infrastructure legislation. Key takeaway? Infrastructure may be a natural monopoly in some areas, so smart regulation is key to making access fair and future-proof. From intermodal transport to decarbonised electricity and a fully integrated CO₂ network, we’re making sure industry voices are front and centre in the legislative build-out. Read our members’ insights.

CCS DEVELOPMENTS FROM AROUND THE BLOC

🏗️Have your say on on CO2 infrastructure. The Commission has opened its public consultation on CO₂ transport infrastructure and markets, and it’s a biggie. This marks a major milestone in building the regulatory backbone for CCS in Europe. After a summer call for evidence, it’s now time for industry, civil society, and the public to weigh in. Submit your response here

🚫 UK greenlights two major CCS projects. Big win for CCS across the Channel: the UK just signed contracts for two commercial projects: Heidelberg Materials’ Padeswood Cement Works in Wales (set to be the world’s first net-zero cement plant by 2029) and ENCYCLIS’ Protos waste-to-energy facility. Together, they’ll capture 1.2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, stored via Liverpool Bay. Net-zero needs momentum, and the UK’s clearly picking up speed. (Reuters)

🤝 Finland & Norway link up on cross-border CO₂ storage. On 4 September, Finland and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enable cross-border transport of CO₂ for permanent storage in Norway. With Finland lacking suitable geology and Norway sitting on 28+ years of storage know-how, it’s a perfect match. The deal marks a big step for Nordic CCS cooperation - and a vote of confidence in building a commercial CO₂ storage market for Europe.(Finnish Government)