On September 11, FEPORT submitted its reply to the call for evidence on CO2 Markets and Infrastructure in the EU.
The upcoming Commission initiative – set to be proposed by Q3 2026 in line with the review of ETS 1 – aims at ensuring an internal market for CO2 and the development of CO2 transportation infrastructure to effectively connect emitters with CO2 storage sites. The initiative is in line with the Commission Communication on the 2040 climate target, which recognised the need for carbon capture utilisation and storage as one of the measures the EU needs to meet its climate objectives, complementing strategies to directly reduce GHG emissions. The Call for Evidence lists a number of challenges that should be addressed such as high investment risks, insufficient cross-border operability, regulatory barriers and legal uncertainty.
FEPORT reply specifically points to the key role of ports and terminals in carbon market value chains considering their role in the transhipment and storage of CO2. We also agreed with the Commission’s assessment that the initiative should be considered in conjunction with EU ETS as the emissions trading system should provide financial incentives for activities related to carbon removals as well as carbon capture and utilisation. Finally, FEPORT reply pointed out that ports do not only play a role by connecting industrial emitters to offshore storage sites but also facilitate onboard carbon capture by ships by offloading CO2 captured by shipping for the purpose of subsequent storage or utilization by industry.
