[Brussels, 26 February] – The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) – the largest European CCUS trade association, representing more than 130 members across the value chain – welcomes today’s publication of the Clean Industrial Deal and its support for CCUS. The European Commission has delivered on its pledge to release the Deal within the first 100 days of the new mandate and this Communication is crucial to ensuring the decarbonisation and competitiveness of European industries.
The European Commission is sending a very strong message to European industries, saying that their survival is at the top of the Commission’s agenda. We particularly welcome the positive signals sent to the CCUS industry, responding to the clear messages the CCSA set out in our open letter to the Commission in November – echoed by 30 MEPs – urging to include CCUS in the scope of the Clean Industrial Deal.
We support the Commission’s commitment to rolling-out the creation of a market for captured carbon – with the Industrial Carbon Management Strategy (ICMS) building the case for permanent carbon removals and their potential to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. It is also reassuring to see the continued commitment to the review of the ETS Directive in 2026.
The Commission also recognises the key role that hydrogen can play in the decarbonisation of the EU energy system – with further attention to be put on creating a market for low-carbon hydrogen – and commits to strengthening the Innovation Fund and developing a regulatory framework for low-carbon industrial products, supporting yet other of our key demands.
While the Clean Industrial Deal shows the Commission is on the right path to securing EU decarbonisation and competitiveness in a time when our region is facing industrial decline and competition from across the world, the CCSA claims that more detail on the announced commitments to the commercial deployment of CCUS technologies is required: more clarity on the ICMS implementation is needed to make sure the EU leads on CCUS and realises its ambitions.
Olivia Powis, CCSA CEO, said:
“The Clean Industrial Deal is a strong signal that the European Commission is serious about securing the future of European industries in the green transition. Recognising the role of permanent carbon removals, low-carbon industrial products and low carbon hydrogen are all essential to a future market.”
“But we need urgent clarity on the implementation of the Industrial Carbon Management measures: without it, Europe risks falling behind on CCUS. The CCUS sector is ready to act, but we need the backing to turn commitments into reality. Ambition alone will not deliver net-zero and the time to deliver the Deal is now.”
About the CCSA
CCUS, or Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, is a key low carbon solution – vital to meeting the UK’s statutory Net Zero target at least cost. CCUS enables industrial decarbonisation as well as the production of clean power, clean products (such as cement and chemicals) and clean hydrogen – which can also be used to decarbonise industry. In addition, CCUS also enables greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS) or Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS).
The CCSA is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment of CCUS, with offices in Brussels and London. We work with members, governments and other organisations to ensure CCUS is developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to meet net zero goals and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations.
The CCSA currently has over 130 member companies who are active in exploring and developing different applications of carbon capture and removals, CO2 transportation by pipeline and ship, utilisation, geological storage, and other permanent storage solutions, end-users in the power, industry, waste management, fuels, and hydrogen production sectors, plus supply chain, engineering, construction and management, legal and financial consulting sectors.
For media enquiries please email press@ccsassociation.org
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