Quota options for F-gas equipment importers

EUROPE: Importers of equipment charged with HFC refrigerants have been given an additional option for ensuring compliance with the F-gas Regulation from January 1, 2017.

The European Commission has declared that equipment importers can get quota authorisations not only directly from quota holders but also via the manufacturers of the equipment (known as the pooling option). For authorisations to be valid they must be entered in the HFC Registry.

Under the F-gas regulations, quota authorisations are needed for imported HFC refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment from January 1, 2017. This obligation on importers to have quota authorisations is part of the EU phase-down measure put in place by the Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 on fluorinated gases (F-gases), which aims to reduce emissions of these gases by two-thirds compared to today’s levels by 2030.

The HFC Registry is set up to implement the HFC phase-down and all importers of HFC filled equipment must be registered there.

Further information on and link to HFC Registry
More information on F-gases
Guidance document for equipment importers