The European Union has taken a decisive step to formalise how carbon removal is defined, measured and certified, adopting its first-ever standards for projects that permanently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The move, announced on February 3 by the European Commission, establishes a long-awaited framework aimed at channeling investment into carbon removal technologies while addressing persistent concerns about credibility and greenwashing in emerging carbon markets.
The new standards, which take the form of voluntary certification methodologies, are designed to bring clarity to a sector that has grown rapidly but unevenly. They apply to technologies that physically remove COâ‚‚ from the atmosphere and store it in ways intended to be permanent, offering investors and policymakers a common reference point for what constitutes a verified tonne of carbon removal. The initiative builds on the Carbon Farming and Carbon Removals Regulation adopted in 2024, which laid the legal foundation for an EU-wide certification system covering carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products.
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At the heart of the framework are three types of carbon removal activities: Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage, biogenic emissions capture with carbon storage, and biochar-based carbon removal. According to the Commission, these pathways were prioritised because they are relatively mature and have the potential to contribute meaningfully to the bloc’s long-term climate objectives, particularly as residual emissions persist in hard-to-abate sectors.
Beyond listing eligible technologies, the methodologies tackle some of the most contentious issues in carbon removal. They define what qualifies as a removal, set requirements for permanence, and outline how risks such as carbon leakage, reversal and long-term liability should be managed. In doing so, the Commission is attempting to address a central challenge that has plagued voluntary carbon markets: the gap between claimed climate benefits and verifiable, durable outcomes.
The delegated regulation underpinning the standards will now undergo a two-month scrutiny period by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. If no objections are raised, the rules are expected to be published in the EU’s Official Journal in early April and to enter into force shortly thereafter. Once that process is complete, project developers will be able to apply for EU certification, opening the door for the first certified carbon removal projects within months.
For European policymakers, the standards are as much about market discipline as they are about climate ambition. Wopke Hoekstra, the EU’s Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, framed the move as an effort to create a robust benchmark that can guide both public and private decision-making. By setting clear rules, the Commission hopes to reduce uncertainty for investors and buyers while signalling that not all carbon credits or removal claims are created equal.
Industry players have welcomed the clarity. Companies developing capital-intensive removal technologies have long argued that predictable certification is essential to unlock long-term finance. Christoph Gebald, chief executive of Swiss carbon removal firm Climeworks, described the standards as a turning point that could help de-risk the sector by aligning expectations between developers, investors and buyers.
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The implications extend beyond Europe. As carbon removal increasingly features in corporate net-zero strategies and national climate plans, the EU’s framework is likely to influence how other jurisdictions approach certification and oversight. For African countries, where interest in carbon markets is growing alongside scrutiny of credit quality and benefit-sharing, the EU’s move underscores the direction of travel: toward tighter definitions, stronger verification and greater accountability.
The Commission has signalled that this is only the first phase. Additional certification methodologies are expected later this year, covering carbon farming activities such as agroforestry and peatland rewetting, as well as carbon storage in bio-based construction materials. Together, these measures point to a broader attempt to integrate carbon removals into climate policy without repeating the mistakes that have undermined trust in parts of the voluntary carbon market.
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