On 30 June 2026, the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) welcomed more than 250 policymakers, industry leaders, project developers and civil society representatives to Brussels for the third edition of its annual EU Conference.

Against growing momentum for carbon management, the conference explored how Europe can accelerate the deployment of CCUS technologies to support industrial decarbonisation, strengthen competitiveness, and deliver on climate targets.

Throughout the day, speakers highlighted a shift from ambition to implementation. As CCUS projects increasingly move from planning into construction and operation, discussions focused on the policy, regulatory, and investment frameworks needed to transform individual projects into a fully integrated European carbon management market.

The programme opened with a high-level discussion on scaling CCUS across Europe, examining the importance of stable policy frameworks, long-term investment certainty, public engagement, and stronger cross-border cooperation. Speakers agreed that collaboration between governments, industry, and stakeholders will be essential to unlocking Europe’s leadership potential in carbon management.

A dedicated session explored the development of a European CO₂ transport market, bringing together policymakers and industry representatives to discuss investment conditions, risk-sharing mechanisms, and the regulatory foundations required to build a transparent, interconnected, and investable CO₂ transport network.

Reflecting the increasing geographical diversity of Europe’s CCUS landscape, this year’s conference also placed a spotlight on three emerging regions that are playing a strategic role in advancing deployment:

• The Mediterranean, where discussions focused on regional cooperation between Italy and Greece, the development of strategic infrastructure such as the Ravenna CCS project, and the importance of delivering practical, bankable projects to accelerate early deployment.
• The North Sea, where speakers highlighted the region’s unique potential to become the backbone of a European carbon management market through close collaboration between neighbouring countries, governments, and industry.
• Eastern Europe, featured through the first live edition of the CCSA Country Spotlight Series, where panellists explored how CCUS can support industrial competitiveness, attract investment, and contribute to economic revitalisation alongside decarbonisation.

The Conference also examined the financial dimension of large-scale deployment. Building on the findings of the CCSA Europe Market Study, participants discussed the current state of the European CCUS market and explored emerging financing models capable of reducing investment risk and supporting projects across the value chain.

The 2026 edition reinforced a common message across all sessions: Europe has the industrial capability, technical expertise, and momentum to deliver a thriving CCUS market. The priority now is to establish the regulatory certainty, coordinated investment mechanisms, and cross-border cooperation needed to accelerate deployment at scale and secure Europe’s industrial future.