
Federal Ministry of Economics Signs Letters of Intent on CO2 Exports with Denmark and the Netherlands
Frank Wetzel, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), signed two declarations of intent on CO2 exports with Denmark and the Netherlands in Berlin in early October. The occasion was the first Strategic Dialogue of the Carbon Management Forum, at which around 200 representatives from business, politics, academia and civil society discussed the implementation of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCU/S) in Germany.
Launched by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in May 2026, the forum brings together stakeholders’ expertise, helps improve coordination across the carbon management value chain and develops key recommendations for scaling up the CCU/S market in Germany.
State Secretary Wetzel: “Making carbon management a reality requires domestic CO2 storage sites and cross-border partnerships. Through the agreements on CO2 exports reached with Denmark and the Netherlands, we are sending a clear signal that we intend to continue driving the successful scale-up of CCS/CCU in Germany. In doing so, we can make an effective contribution to strengthening the competitiveness of German industry in a sustainable way over the long term. Through the Carbon Management Forum initiated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, we are ensuring the increased coordination, cooperation and political support needed across the CCS/CCU value chain.”
CCU/S enables companies to capture hard-to-abate CO2 emissions and either use the captured CO2 commercially or store it permanently. The technology thus makes a crucial contribution to maintaining the competitiveness of German industry, which relies on dependable decarbonisation pathways to avoid rising CO2 costs.
By amending the Carbon Dioxide Storage and Transport Act (KSpTG) and the High Seas Dumping Act (HSEG), and ratifying Article 6 of the London Protocol, the Federal Government has already established the legal framework needed to scale up CCU/S in Germany. Another important milestone in supporting industry is the planned Carbon Management Action Plan, which is currently being developed by the BMWE.
The action plan will also address economic challenges and set out numerous measures covering CO2 capture, transport, storage and utilisation, thereby providing further support for the scale-up of CCU/S in Germany.
The Carbon Management Forum in detail
The Carbon Management Forum (CMF), launched by the BMWE, is Germany’s largest platform for dialogue between policymakers, business, academia and civil society across the CCU/S value chain. The CMF provides advice on current carbon management challenges and currently brings together the expertise of around 200 people from more than 120 organisations. Its participants take a solution-oriented approach, providing practical support for the scale-up of CCU/S.
Since the forum was established in May 2026, its four working groups (sources, transport, storage and utilisation), together with a task force on de-risking and investment certainty, have developed proposed solutions to the most pressing challenges. These include proposals for targeted funding and risk protection instruments to minimise risks when developing CO2 infrastructure.
Source: https://www.bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de/Redaktion/DE/Pressemitteilungen/2026/10/20261007-absichtserklaerungen-co2-export.html


















