News

The review of the EU’s F-gas Regulation: a legislative timeline

18 July 2023

In 2020, the European Commission initiated the review of the F-gas Regulation which has been in force since 2015 and had been key to decreasing F-gas emissions and enabling industry to transition towards alternatives (low GWP HFCs, HCFOs and HFOs). The European FluoroCarbons Technical Committee (EFCTC) has proactively engaged in the revision process and has collaborated constructively with the authorities.

During the pre-legislative phase starting in June 2020, EFCTC provided feedback to the European Commission as part of the public consultation. The Committee submitted its position which highlighted the need for improving provisions to enhance enforcement in light of increasing illegal trade of HFCs, improving the functioning of the legitimate supply chain, reducing HFC emissions, and maintaining market flexibility. Following the consultation, the European Commission held a stakeholder workshop in May 2021 to share positions and recommendations for the revision which the EFCTC participated in.

In April 2022, the legislative phase began when the European Commission published its proposed revisions to the F-gas Regulation. EFCTC welcomed those provisions aimed at improving enforcement and preventing illegal trade but expressed concerns about an earlier and more severe proposed phase-down that could disrupt the goals of the RePower EU Action Plan. During the feedback period, the EFCTC emphasised the need for a calibrated phase-down to ensure there was no disruption to the transition that Europe is already pursuing and emphasized members commitment to transition to lower GWP refrigerants.

Once the Commission's proposal was submitted to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, the EFCTC engaged with rapporteurs, MEPs, and national ministry experts to share its position and recommendations. In November 2022, the EFCTC also convened a stakeholder event in the European Parliament to discuss potential improvements to the Regulation.

In December 2022, the Parliament's leading Committee on the file (ENVI) published its draft report, and the ITRE Committee adopted opinion on the file recognised industry concerns. The EFCTC and other stakeholders wrote an open letter urging the adoption of realistic and sustainable solutions. When the ENVI Committee voted and adopted its report in March 2023, the EFCTC offered concrete proposals to the European Parliament alongside an industry alliance.

On 30 March 2023 the European Parliament voted in Plenary to adopt its position on the F-gas Regulation revision which proposed to ban F-gases – including low Global Warming Potential (GWP) – in the following 3-5 years. The industry alliance expressed concerns about the technical feasibility and impacts on equipment, safety of installation and use, and affordability for European citizens.

In April 2023, the Council of the EU adopted its negotiation mandate, to which the EFCTC and other industry allies responded with recommendations for further precision to the mandate to prevent complications for the implementation of the regulation.

In May 2023 the institutional negotiations (trilogues) began between the European Commission, Parliament, and Council to agree on a final text. Discussions on technical details have taken place, but significant differences remain on topics like application-specific bans and the phase-down schedule. Further trilogues are scheduled in July 2023 to reach a compromise text before the revisions to the F-gas Regulation are adopted.