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Additional tools
The European Commission has taken several initiatives to ensure the coherent implementation of the CCS Directive throughout the EU. These include the establishment of an Information Exchange Group to facilitate exchanges between the competent authorities, the publication of four guidance documents, the issuing of a reporting questionnaire as required under the Directive, and the adoption of a Commission Opinion on a draft storage permit.
Information Exchange Group
An Information Exchange Group has been established to organise an exchange of information between the competent authorities of the Member States and to promote a coherent implementation of the CCS Directive throughout the EU. The Group usually meets several times per year.
Guidance documents
The European Commission has issued four guidance documents to support coherent implementation of the CCS Directive across the EU Member States.
The four guidance documents, mainly addressed to the competent authorities and to relevant stakeholders, elaborate on key provisions of the CCS Directive. The first guidance document outlines a CO2 storage life cycle risk management framework, whereas the other three address in more detail issues such as the characterisation of the storage complex, CO2 stream composition, monitoring and corrective measures, the criteria for transfer of responsibility to the Member State, and financial security. By addressing these issues, the guidance documents will help to ensure environmentally safe geological storage of CO2.
These documents have been discussed with experts from Member States and key stakeholders, including industry, research community and NGOs.
Reporting questionnaire
The Commission has issued a questionnaire for the first Member State report on the implementation of the CCS Directive by Commission Decision 2011/92/EU.
Opinions on draft storage permits
The CCS Directive requires the Member States to make CO2 storage permit applications available to the Commission within one month of their receipt. Member States have to provide the Commission with draft storage permits and any other related material that the competent authority has taken into consideration to decide on the award of a permit. The Commission may provide a non-binding Opinion on the draft storage permit within four months of its receipt.
On 28 February 2012 the Commission adopted its first such Opinion (see "Documentation"), on the draft permit for the permanent storage of CO2 offshore on the Dutch continental shelf.