In a Nutshell

What is the EU CRCF?

The EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Regulation (CRCF) provides a voluntary regulatory framework for the certification of permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products. The framework has been developed to facilitate and speed up the deployment of permanent carbon removal, carbon farming and carbon storage in product activities as a complement to sustained emission reductions, fight greenwashing and harmonise carbon removal market conditions.

What types of removals does the EU CRCF cover?

The EU CRCF regulation distinguishes four types of certified activities: (1) carbon farming (which includes (a) temporary carbon storage activities and (b) soil emission reduction activities), (2) temporary carbon storage in long-lasting products, and (3) permanent carbon removal. In order to ensure the quality of carbon removals certified under the framework, removals need to meet several quality criteria (so-called “QU.A.L.ITY” criteria), covering the aspects of quantification, additionality, long-term storage, and sustainability.

How does the EU CRCF work in practice?

Under the framework, the European Commission, assisted by an Expert Group, will develop methodologies for the certification of a range of carbon removal methods and recognise certification schemes. In February 2026, the Commission adopted the first delegated act establishing methodologies for the voluntary certification of permanent carbon removal methods. Namely, direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BioCCS), and biochar carbon capture. The certification schemes will be responsible for setting up and maintaining interoperable public registries to track and control the carbon removal units certified under the framework. Within four years, these will be replaced by a common, Union-wide registry. Meanwhile, certification bodies, supervised by member states, will carry out certification audits and the issuing of certificates.

The final version of the text has made important strides compared with the Commission’s first proposal, namely by aligning the definition of carbon removal with that of the IPCC; clarifying the distinction between carbon removal and emissions reductions; and defining certified activities (e.g., permanent carbon removal, carbon storage in long-lasting products) in a more inclusive and future-proof way. Other areas of progress include improved liability requirements in the event of reversal, and improved transparency and accountability through a comprehensive Union-wide registry requiring disclosure of essential information (e.g., expected duration of carbon storage, quantity and status of certified units, etc.). However, the final text provides only limited guardrails for how the carbon removal units generated under the framework could or should be used, indicating that other EU legislation should fill in this gap.

What’s next for the EU CRCF?

Q2 2026: The Commission is expected to open the recognition process for certification schemes following entry into force of the delegated act on permanent carbon removal methodologies. DG CLIMA is developing a standardised assessment protocol for scheme recognition.

7 May 2026: The Commission is expected to launch the recognition process for certification schemes following entry into force of the delegated act on permanent carbon removal methodologies.

20–21 May 2026: CRCF Days discussions focused on implementation of the CRCF framework, including certification scheme recognition, development of the EU Carbon Removal Buyers’ Club, and ongoing work on corporate use cases for CRCF units. Stakeholders discussed a potential early-2027 launch timeline for the carbon farming track of the Buyers’ Club.

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Deep Dive

Aim of the EU CRCF

The goal of the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Regulation (CRCF) is to facilitate the uptake of high-quality carbon removals to support the achievement of EU climate commitments, such as those under the Paris Agreement and the Climate Law. The framework aims to create trust in carbon removals by setting strong requirements on aspects such as monitoring and liability, and ensuring key ‘quality’ criteria are met – namely, ensuring accurate quantification, additionality, long-term storage, and sustainability of certified activities. The framework also aims to increase transparency by creating a public registry to document the generation, trading, and use of certified carbon removal units.

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Further Reading

• Communication on Sustainable Carbon Cycles, European Commission
• Impact assessment accompanying the CRCF proposal, European Commission 
• A Union certification framework for carbon removals, European Parliament briefing, 2023
• Carbon Gap White Paper: A Guide to Certifying Carbon Removal, 2022
• Carbon Gap reaction to the European Commission proposal on carbon removal certification, 2022
• Carbon Gap welcomes ENVI Committee vote, 2023
• Carbon Gap reaction to European Parliament’s vote on the CRCF, 2023
• Q&A on the provisional agreement on the Regulation establishing an EU-wide
  voluntary framework for certifying permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and
  carbon storage in products (CRCF Regulation), European Commission, 2024