The new direction of the Dutch refrigeration industry association (NVKL) is inspired by changing factors in the industry. In 2009, the present STEK legislation that must be met by technicians in the industry will be replaced by a European certification system as a result of the European F-gases regulations. The European standard is much lower than the level in the Netherlands, where the leakage percentage of refrigeration equipment is below 3%, in comparison to neighbouring countries where the leakage percentage is at least 20%.

By relaxing the law, entry into the industry will become easier and it is expected that the high quality level will be lost. The members of the NVKL are against this and wish to take action in response. Refrigeration is a specialised trade that cannot just be done by anyone. To be able to work in a safe and responsible manner requires sound training, regular refresher courses and a lot of experience. In order to meet future government targets with regard to energy savings and environmental friendliness, the refrigeration sector must therefore not lower the standard, but at least maintain or even increase it, reveals the association’s press release.