This Commission proposal aims to create a harmonised EU-wide certification system for carbon removals. It targets activities that remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it permanently or long-term. The proposal was published in November 2022 and is under interinstitutional negotiation. It will form the legal basis for issuing certified carbon removal units (CRUs) and integrating them into EU climate policy.
It sets out rules on:
- Definition of removal types (e.g. biochar, DACCS, carbon farming).
- MRV framework for quantifying, verifying, and certifying removals.
- Criteria for environmental integrity, additionality, and long-term storage.
- Governance and third-party validation procedures.