CO₂ Value Europe Calls on the Belgian Presidency to Boost CCU Scale-Up to Accelerate Climate Transition
In this morning’s statement, CO₂ Value Europe welcomed the programme of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first half of 2024, and in particular the following priorities:
🔵 EU climate target for 2040: We invited the presidency to ensure CCU and its deployment have a central role in delivering those objectives.
🔵 Net-Zero Industry Act & Carbon Removal Certification: In particular, we called on the presidency to adopt rapidly the Net Zero Industry Act, and to include CCU in the strategic net zero technologies list to enhance its scale-up in Europe.
🔵 Research & Innovation: We consider it essential for the presidency to recognise the role of clean-tech R&D, including CCU projects, to achieve the green transition and enable them to be eligible under EU funding instruments.
🔵 Net-Zero European Industry: We invited the presidency to clearly distinguish CCU and CCS technologies, as they deliver different necessary climate services and include CCU in all relevant EU initiatives.
CO2 Value Europe also urged the Belgian presidency to take into account other important energy and climate policies and instruments that are not explicitly mentioned in its programme, including:
🔵 Support mandatory targets in different sectors (plastics, packaging, textiles, etc.) to move away from the use of fossil resources and drive circularity through alternative carbon feedstock.
🔵 Promote fit-for-purpose rules around the definition of low-carbon hydrogen and low-carbon fuels.
🔵 Recognise the climate value of storing CO2 permanently in products via mineralisation within the framework of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) exemptions.
🔵 Encourage dialogue with the international community to ensure well-functioning certification rules (e.g. for the production of renewable fuels or mineralised products) and the effective application of the EU climate standards.
Please find our full statement here.
