European certification for carbon removals, with co-legislators agreeing on process, monitoring and accountability provisions and establishment of a quadripartite structure

According to a source close to the matter, at the end of their second interinstitutional meeting, negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU Council made “good progress” on the regulation concerning the introduction of a new European voluntary certification framework for carbon removals. 

These advances relate to two main aspects: the monitoring and accountability provisions (article 6) and the certification process (articles 9 to 11). 

In addition, the parties have agreed to set up an architecture divided into four types of units: permanent withdrawal units, carbon agriculture units, units for storing carbon in products and units for reducing agricultural emissions. However, the scope of each category remains to be defined.

The European Commission’s proposal presented in November 2022 (see EUROPE 13074/9) aims to strengthen the EU’s capacity to measure, monitor and certify carbon removals, with a view to encouraging their use, boosting stakeholder confidence and combating greenwashing.

The Council of the EU, following its adopted mandate of 18 November 2023 (see EUROPE 13295/7), is considering regulating various methods of carbon removal, including industrial technologies and agricultural practices such as forest restoration and soil and wetland management.

Certification would include agricultural activities that improve the soil’s carbon balance, provided they meet the criteria of quantification, additionality, long-term storage and sustainability (QU.ALITY). The Commission will develop certification methods adapted by the Member States.

The European Parliament (see EUROPE 13297/6), for its part, insists on compliance with international standards, recommending a European register for transparency and the prevention of fraud and double accounting. It stresses the need to differentiate the criteria for the different types of carbon storage, given their varying environmental impacts.

 Expected to be the last, the third trilogue negotiating session is scheduled for the evening of 19 February. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)