In her 2025 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen put it bluntly: “Europe is in a fight.” For our voice, our values, and our future. A key battleground in this fight is climate change. For Europe to win this battle, we need to boost clean energy. We need to accelerate energy efficiency. And we need to capture more carbon. 

In the Net-Zero Industry Act, we set an ambitious target: to make at least 50 million tonnes of CO₂ storage capacity available annually by 2030. This is the ambition on paper – but is it achievable in practice? The ACCSION project, developed in Denmark and supported by the EU Innovation Fund, shows what’s possible. By 2029, Aalborg Portland Cement is expected to capture and store 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ every year, representing approximately 4% of a reduction in Denmark’s annual CO₂ emissions. 

This is the scale of ambition we need. But what else can we do to translate our ambition into action?  

First of all, we know that far-reaching initiatives involve risks. Therefore, the EU is committed to mitigating these risks through financial support and by ensuring a predictable, long-term regulatory framework.  

Secondly, to unlock the full potential of our technologies, we need a robust CO2 market and transport infrastructure. Therefore, in the second half of 2026, I will put forward a legislative package to facilitate cross-border CO₂ transport, foster a competitive CO2 value chain, and ensure regulatory certainty across the board. 

Finally, we know that cooperation among Member States, stakeholders, and international partners is essential. The Commission is therefore committed to enhancing collaboration through knowledge sharing and mutual learning. As part of these efforts, we co-hosted 2025s Industrial Carbon Management Forum the 8 and 9 December in Athens.  

When it comes to climate change, we face not only a fight for our future, but also a race against time. So, let’s pool our resources, accelerate our efforts, and deliver the full potential of carbon capture for a clean and competitive Europe.