The EU´s initiative to develop a robust carbon removal certification mechanism (CRCM) is a welcome and timely proposal. If well-designed, the CRCM can promote a consistent and high-integrity approach to defining, quantifying, and accounting for removals, and for generating and using certificates. Its creation provides the EU with an opportunity to define certification in a manner that fosters “upwards spiraling” of environmental integrity not only domestically, but also internationally. In this position paper, we provide a discussion on key aspects which we deem to be crucial to making the CRCM a success.