The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE) welcomes the European Commission’s launch of the public consultation on the European F-Gas policy, together with the Report on the “application, effects and adequacy of the Regulation on certain fluorinated gases”. 

As the European association representing the heating, cooling and refrigeration industry, EPEE underlines that the Commission should take advantage of the Review to address the current shortcomings of the F-Gas Regulation and supports the Commission in its assessment that training, certification, recovery and reuse should in any case be improved. EPEE encourages the Commission to call on Member States to intensify their efforts towards rapid and proper enforcement of the Regulation.

EPEE also calls for a holistic approach towards the F-Gas Regulation Review with a focus on overall CO2 emissions. This approach should take into account technological feasibility, safety, energy efficiency, environmental compliance, and affordability (for consumers, governments and industry). Only an assessment of all these elements will point towards the most optimal refrigerant for each specific application.

Andrea Voigt, Director General EPEE: “We should live up to our responsibility and contribute to reducing f-gas emissions as much as possible.  I believe that a market-based phase-down approach will be the most suitable way to achieve this and see a danger in some of the options that the Commission is considering. For example banning products or refrigerants will ultimately push the industry to opt for alternatives, which in turn may perversely lead to increased energy consumption, a drop in energy efficiency, additional safety concerns, and higher costs for the end-user.  The heating and cooling industry, which uses f-gases for many of their applications, should be able to manage its refrigerant choice in a timely and comprehensive way.”

 The Commission’s Report gives a brief overview of the main achievements of the F-Gas Regulation, which has only entered into force in 2006, and points to the improvements made in terms of containment of f-gases. 

EPEE members- who are both producers and users of refrigerants- look forward to participate to the public consultation and to give their recommendations on how further improve the F-Gas Regulation. 

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