Belgium and the United Kingdom (UK) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the London Protocol, paving the way for the cross-border transport and permanent storage of captured CO2 between the two countries.

The agreement establishes a key regulatory framework needed for Belgian industrial emitters to access the UK’s growing carbon storage network, which includes significant offshore storage capacity beneath the North Sea.

The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) welcomed the move, describing it as an important milestone in the development of a Europe-wide carbon storage market and a step toward accelerating industrial decarbonization across the region.

The deal highlights the increasingly interconnected nature of Europe’s carbon management infrastructure. While countries such as Belgium have large industrial sectors seeking long-term CO2 storage solutions, the UK is positioning itself as a major storage hub thanks to its extensive geological storage resources offshore.

Building a European CO2 storage market

According to the CCSA, enabling cross-border access to storage infrastructure could significantly reduce costs for industrial emitters across North-West Europe.

A 2024 study by the association found that opening a Europe-wide CO2 storage market could lower transport and storage costs for emitters in countries such as Belgium by more than 28%. The report also estimated that the UK storage sector could generate around £2 billion (~$2.6 billion) annually by 2030, rising to £30 billion (~$40.2 billion) per year in taxable revenue by 2050.

During the signing ceremony, Belgium’s Minister for Justice and the North Sea, Annelies Verlinden, said the agreement would support hard-to-abate industries as they work to reduce emissions.

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“Belgian industry is leading the way toward sustainability, even in sectors where CO2 emissions are difficult to reduce,” she said, adding that Belgium would continue working with European partners to establish broader rules governing carbon storage cooperation between the EU and the UK.

UK Energy Minister Lord Whitehead described the agreement as the first London Protocol arrangement signed by the UK with another country, calling it an important step toward creating an international market for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).

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