Brussels, February 3rd, 2026- The European Commission has adopted the methodologies for certifying permanent carbon removals under the EU Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation. The outcomes reflect hard-fought compromises from cross-sectoral debates, which the Carbon Management Europe (formerly Zero Emissions Platform/ZEP) has facilitated as a neutral platform for multi-stakeholders, evidence-based dialogue.
Carbon Management Europe has played a critical role in the Commission’s Carbon Removal Expert Group since its inception in 2023, by providing evidence-based input on the methodologies for direct air capture and storage (DACCS) and biogenic CO2 capture and storage (BioCCS), while emphasising the need for robust standards for biochar.
The publication of the methodologies for permanent carbon removals marks an important step forward for advancing industrial carbon management in Europe, and confirms the EU’s global leadership in carbon removal deployment.
CRCF certification for permanent carbon removal is a crucial step in building trust, especially in the absence of a compliance market. These methodologies combine rigorous, science-based accounting with some reviewable flexibility to enable early deployment and tighten standards as the market matures.
– Aymeric Amand, Policy and Research Director, Carbon Management Europe
The EU now has a clear, legally grounded standard for permanent removals from DACCS, BioCCS and biochar. This is the kind of clarity investors, project developers, and industrial emitters have been asking for. The next step is to get the projects off the ground, with strong demand signals such as the planned EU CDR Buyers’ Club to scale high-integrity permanent removals across Europe.
– Eve Tamme, Chair, Carbon Management Europe
Today's announcement marks the start of the standard two-month scrutiny period for delegated acts. If no objections are raised by the European Parliament or the Council, the Delegated Regulation is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the EU in early April and will enter into force twenty days thereafter.
Carbon Management Europe will continue to play an important role in the Commission’s Carbon Removal Expert Group and to support the Commission’s initiatives to advance carbon removals, particularly the establishment of the EU CDR Buyers’ Club.
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