Illegal Refrigerant Imports Could Be As Much As One Third Of EU Market

Brussels, 26 June 2020 – Europe’s climate goals are being undermined by a thriving black market for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The exact size of the market is unknown, but a new database created by Oxera Consulting LLP shines a strong light on the issue. Oxera’s assessment of HFC trade flow data, analysed by the European FluoroCarbons Technical Committee (EFCTC), indicates that this illegal trade could represent up to 34 million tonnes CO2 equivalent (eqT) – or 33% of the legally allowed quota in 2018.