EPEE calls for realism at F-gas meeting

BRUSSELS: EPEE  has called upon EU decision-makers to reach an ambitious yet realistic agreement and to reject sweeping additional bans on HFCs at tomorrow’s crucial F-gas meeting.

EPEE, the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment, repeated its call for an agreement in First Reading and its support for the Commission’s proposal of a phase down.

“The revision of the existing F-gas regulation, including a phase down combined with action on refrigerants with very high global warming potential, is a top priority because it will help achieve the goals of the low carbon roadmap without harming the competitiveness of European industry,” said EPEE director general Andrea Voigt.

“EPEE therefore also strongly supports a swift conclusion of the revision under First Reading, and before the European Parliament elections of 2014, in order to ensure legal certainty for our members’ business.”

However, EPEE insists that a ban on HFCs as proposed by the European Parliament would be excessive and would lead to additional costs of up to €72bn in 2030. Southern European users would be particularly hard hit, as over 80% of these costs would affect the air conditioning sector.

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