EU carbon removals framework to issue first credits from late 2027

The EU's Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) framework, established by Regulation (EU) 2024/3012, will see its first certified carbon removal units reach corporate buyers from late 2027 or early 2028. The CRCF is a voluntary, EU-wide certification framework that sets a harmonised quality baseline for carbon removals and carbon farming activities, certifying against QU.A.L.ITY criteria (Quantification, Additionality, Long-term storage, Sustainability). It covers permanent removals (e.g., DACCS, BECCS, biochar), carbon farming with a minimum 5-year permanence, and carbon storage in products with a minimum 35-year permanence. The framework does not replace existing standards but runs alongside them, with recognition decisions for established voluntary standards expected mid-to-late 2026.