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Croatia aims for a 45% emission reduction by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050, with the industrial sector contributing 2.76 MtCO2/year (16% of national emissions). The document highlights that cement production, accounting for 62% of industrial emissions, has no viable decarbonization path other than CCS. Croatia possesses a significant storage capacity of 4.2 GtCO2, primarily in saline aquifers (4 Gt) and depleted hydrocarbon fields (175 Mt), which is sufficient to store 693 years of the country's annual point-source emissions. To optimize deployment, the document proposes three industrial clusters: the Adriatic, Central, and Eastern clusters. Current initiatives include the Croatian Geothermal CCS project, which plans to store CO2 from the Našice cement plant and a plant in Beremend, Hungary, at the Bočkovci-1 site. Other projects in development include Petrokemija Kutina (190,000 tCO2/year), Biorafinerija Sisak (55,000 tCO2/year), and a cement plant in Koromač (400,000 tCO2/year). Collectively, these could capture 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Economically, implementing CCS in the Eastern cluster could save 1.2 billion euros in EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) costs. The document recommends simplifying permitting processes, developing a comprehensive carbon management strategy, and investing in storage site characterization and cross-border cooperation.

The document outlines Poland's position as the EU's third-largest greenhouse gas emitter and advocates for the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) to decarbonize energy-intensive industries. It highlights Poland's significant geological storage potential, exceeding 15 Gt of CO2, and discusses specific projects like GO4ECOPLANET and ECO2CEE. The text emphasizes that developing domestic storage and transport infrastructure is critical to reducing costs and avoiding high EU ETS emission fees.

Romania aims for climate neutrality by 2050 and a net greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 85% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. To achieve this, the country can leverage an estimated storage capacity of 22.6 Gt in saline aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon fields, which is sufficient to store nearly 330 years of combined point source emissions from Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Industrial sectors currently emit 10 million tons of fossil CO2 per year (Mtpa), representing 38% of total CO2 emissions, with power and heat (12.81 MtCO2/yr) and cement and lime (5.80 MtCO2/yr) being the largest point sources. Modelling indicates Romania will need storage capacity of 10 million tonnes annually by 2035, increasing to 15 million tonnes by 2050. Analysis of 92 emitters shows that over 50% are located within 10 km of potential storage resources. Under the Net Zero Industry Act, Romania's major oil and gas producers may be required to develop over 10 Mt of annual injection-ready CO2 storage capacity by 2030. The document recommends the rapid development of a dedicated CCS strategy, robust storage assessments, and the creation of funding mechanisms such as carbon contracts for difference to reduce investor risk.

Spain has a significant CO2 storage potential of 12 to 44 Gt, which could accommodate 121 to 445 years of its annual point source emissions. While industrial point sources account for 49 MtCO2/yr (20% of national total), the Spanish Government has not yet provided specific plans for CCS deployment. The document highlights the Ebro Basin as a prime location where CCS could mitigate 4.42 MtCO2/yr by 2050 and create up to 104,900 jobs. To avoid competitive vulnerability as EU ETS prices rise, the report recommends a national carbon management strategy, streamlined permitting, and the development of low-carbon industrial clusters in regions such as the Ebro Basin, Vasco-Cantabrica Basin, and Huelva.

Spain has a significant geological storage potential of 12 to 44 Gt of CO2, which could support the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industrial sectors such as chemicals, steel, and refineries. While the government's Long-Term Decarbonization Strategy acknowledges the need for CCS in sectors like cement production, the document argues that a lack of concrete national plans and regulatory frameworks creates a competitive vulnerability for Spanish industry as EU Emission Trading System prices rise. A detailed case study of the Ebro Basin indicates that CCS deployment there could mitigate 4.42 MtCO2/year by 2050 and create over 100,000 jobs. The document recommends that Spain prioritize funding for pilot projects, clarify permitting responsibilities between national and regional governments, and develop a comprehensive national carbon management strategy to foster low-carbon industrial clusters.

Poland is the EU's third-largest emitter, with industrial point source fossil emissions totaling 40.6 MtCO2/year. The document argues that CCS is essential for the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries—particularly cement, steel, and fertilizer—and for providing firm power in a decarbonised energy grid. Poland possesses a significant CO2 storage potential of over 15 Gt, primarily in saline aquifers (14.3 Gt) and hydrocarbon fields (1 Gt), which could store 369 years of its annual industrial point source fossil emissions. Current projects like GO4ECOPLANET aim to decarbonise cement production at the Kujawy plant, with CO2 transported to the North Sea via the ECO2CEE project. The document highlights that developing domestic onshore storage and pipeline infrastructure could reduce transport and storage costs from €93-€100/t to between €23-€49/t. To accelerate deployment, the author recommends developing national storage resources, supporting projects to Final Investment Decision (FID) through mechanisms like carbon contracts for difference, and establishing cross-border partnerships with other EU Member States and Baltic countries.

The document examines the energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), highlighting the region's shift away from Russian energy dependence toward a diversified 'all-of-the-above' approach. It identifies significant potential for the region to lead in clean tech manufacturing and innovation, particularly in batteries, small modular reactors (SMRs), and carbon capture, while leveraging the EU's Just Transition Fund to reskill coal workers and build innovation hubs.

Europe is redefining carbon capture as a strategic building block for its 2050 climate neutrality goals, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel. While the region is shifting toward an infrastructure hub model to achieve economies of scale—with projects like Northern Lights in Norway and Porthos in the Netherlands—deployment remains slow. The author contends that current funding instruments and the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) are insufficient on their own, calling for bold, per-ton deployment subsidies similar to those used for renewables or the US 45Q tax credit to accelerate commercial scale-up.

The document highlights a €10 billion funding gap for announced carbon management projects in Europe and argues that the EU ETS alone is insufficient to drive the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS). It recommends a faster phase-out of free allowances by 2029, a significant expansion of the Innovation Fund, and the use of Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) to provide investor certainty and bridge the gap between current ETS prices and the actual costs of carbon abatement.

The document outlines the role of carbon management in North Rhine-Westphalia's transition to climate neutrality by 2045, highlighting that industrial point sources will still emit 7 million tonnes of unavoidable CO2 even with all technical measures except CCS. It identifies two key carbon management clusters—the Rhine Cluster and the Westfalen Cluster—and emphasizes the need for CO2 transport infrastructure and storage sites, potentially in the Netherlands (Porthos) or Norway (Northern Lights). The state government's strategy includes reducing CO2 intensity, developing CO2-free technologies, sustainable CO2 use, and public discourse.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that the EU must adopt a diversified, options-based climate strategy to reach its 2050 net-zero goal, as relying on a single pathway increases risk. The document emphasizes the necessity of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, noting that no operational CO2 storage sites currently exist in the EU. CATF recommends a portfolio of zero-carbon fuels, nuclear fission, fusion, and superhot rock energy to ensure energy security and a reliable 24/7 carbon-free electricity grid. It specifically proposes separate targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, nature-based removals, and industrial removals to ensure transparency and durability. Additionally, the document advises against including methane in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to avoid disincentivizing CO2 reductions, suggesting instead separate initiatives like an EU Import Standard for oil and gas.

The report finds that while announced storage capacity in the EU and EFTA (including Norway) may exceed 2030 capture demand, the EU alone is not on track to meet its 50 Mtpa target by 2030. Significant uncertainty remains as most projects are in early exploration stages, and actual investment lags behind announced ambitions.

The document advocates for the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to protect its industrial base from rising carbon prices and ensure a just transition. It highlights that CEE industries, particularly cement and steel, are critical for national defence and economic resilience but face a competitive disadvantage due to limited storage access. The text argues that domestic CO2 storage is significantly more cost-effective than export-reliant scenarios, necessitating cross-border infrastructure collaboration.

The signatories call for a 68% reduction in ETS emissions, the phase-out of free allowances by 2030, and the introduction of stricter conditionality for any remaining free allowances to ensure they support clean production rather than acting as subsidies for high-emitting sectors.

The position paper calls for a comprehensive German carbon management strategy that integrates CO2 capture, transport, and storage (CCS) and utilization (CCU). It emphasizes the need for quantifiable targets for technical CO2 sinks, a modernized legal framework—specifically updating the Carbon Storage Act (KSpG)—and financial incentives like Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) to make these technologies economically viable. The authors advocate for enabling offshore CO2 storage in the German North Sea and facilitating international transport through the ratification of the London Protocol amendment.

The document argues that the availability of CO2 storage sites is the primary bottleneck for industrial decarbonisation in Europe. While it supports the NZIA's proposed target of 50 million tonnes of annual injection capacity by 2030, it suggests this is a 'bare minimum' and recommends five key improvements: setting more ambitious long-term storage targets, creating an EU-level aggregation platform to match CO2 sources with sinks, requiring Member States to map storage potential and plan cross-border transport networks, ensuring oil and gas producers' storage obligations align with industrial needs, and accelerating permitting and exploration licences for storage projects.

The Clean Air Task Force calls on the European Commission to prioritise a Communication on the Strategic Vision on CCUS, arguing that a robust policy framework is essential for deploying critical infrastructure by 2030. The letter proposes that an EU CCS strategy should prioritise hard-to-electrify industrial processes, establish clear definitions for CCS, CCU, and CDR, and develop a publicly regulated, open-access CO2 infrastructure network while maintaining the 'polluter pays' principle via the EU ETS.

The undersigned authors express concern that a provisional agreement on RePowerEU would weaken the EU Innovation Fund by allowing Member States to use its grants (60%) and front-loading ETS allowances (40%) to raise revenues. They argue that reducing the fund contradicts the needs of Europe's industrial transformation, noting that the fund's first call in 2021 was oversubscribed by more than 20 times. The letter highlights that nearly 50% of emissions reductions needed for 2050 goals depend on technologies not yet deployed at scale, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals. The authors warn that while the United States is implementing massive investment plans, the EU risks losing its industrial base and jobs if it fails to lower the cost of next-generation decarbonisation technologies. Finally, they urge Member States to reject the European Commission's proposal to auction allowances from the Market Stability Reserve, as this could increase emissions and lower the carbon price signal.

The document argues for the urgent development of domestic geological CO2 storage in France to avoid long transport routes and high costs. It recommends implementing Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) to incentivize industrial adoption, accelerating the timeline for projects like Pycasso, and adopting a regulated infrastructure model similar to the UK's to ensure open access for diverse industrial emitters. While acknowledging CO2 utilization (CCU), it prioritizes permanent geological storage for maximum climate impact.

The document outlines a 'Rescue Plan for Europe' to address the failure of previous ocean safeguarding strategies. It proposes a detailed timeline of legislative and regulatory actions from 2020 to 2030, focusing on ending overfishing, eliminating pollution, and protecting biodiversity. The plan advocates for a transition to low-impact fishing, the establishment of highly protected marine areas, and a total ban on deep-sea mining and new offshore oil and gas exploration to ensure ocean resilience against climate change.