Regulation on fluorinated gases adopted by the Council of Ministers

(06/06/2006)

The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE) has welcomed the final adoption of a Regulation on F-gases by the Council of Ministers. The adoption was based on the agreement reached in conciliation between the Council and the Parliament earlier this year.

EPEE believes that with this legislation, the EU is making a significant contribution to the fight against climate change and is sending a strong signal in support of a containment regime to reduce emissions of fluorinated gases (F-gases) across Europe.

EPEE believes that the final text will establish a high level of environmental protection as well as an internal market for equipment containing fluorinated gases and the personnel involved in installing and servicing it. It will now be up to the industry to make it work and demonstrate its effectiveness.

Commenting on this adoption, Friedrich Busch, Director General of EPEE, stated: “EPEE is keen to demonstrate that with this Regulation we can achieve real emission reductions in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector in the coming years. Looking to full compliance with the Regulation, EPEE and its members will cover all aspects of the Regulation, including inter alia containment, recycling, recovery of F-gases and training and certification.”

EPEE welcomed the prohibition of Member States introducing new national measures on F-Gases going beyond the Regulation from end 2005 as well as the ban of existing stricter national measures by end 2012.

On stricter national measures, Friedrich Busch commented: “This Regulation is about environmental protection and an efficient and open internal market. The best results are achieved when all Member States play by the same rules.”

Related categories:  Air conditioning - variable refrigerant flow   Legislation and regulations   Refrigeration 

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