SGU: Regulatory simplification needed for offshore CO2 storage

SGU (Sveriges geologiska undersökning) has published the first interim report on regulatory simplifications to enable CO2 storage under the Swedish seabed.

• Main announcement: SGU submits an annual delrapport to the Swedish government as part of a government assignment to investigate regulatory simplifications for CO2 storage; the assignment runs until a final report due 30 November 2027 and requires annual delivery by 30 November to the Regeringskansliet (Klimat- och näringslivsdepartementet). SGU’s first delrapport contains a barrier analysis (no concrete measures yet) identifying key legal obstacles such as the Helsinki Convention’s dumping prohibition, the CCS Directive’s ban on storage in complexes crossing outside the EU, and the CCS Regulation’s ban on onshore storage.
• Background and further details: SGU is also conducting a separate government study (2023–2025) on suitability of permanent storage sites focused on southeastern Baltic Sea and southwestern Skåne, with that assignment due to be finalised in March 2026. SGU is designated the competent authority in Sweden under Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 for recognition of CCS-related projects as strategic net-zero projects and must fulfil public data disclosure obligations under article 21.1 of the same regulation.