F-GAS REGULATION
General legislative framework
On 5 April 2022 the Commission presented to the Parliament and Council the proposal on fluorinated greenhouse gases, amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 517/2014. The proposal aims to ensure better enforcement through clarification and strengthening of existing rules.
On 30 March 2023, MEPs adopted their position with 426 votes in favour, 109 against and 52 abstentions. Among other changes to the Commission's proposal, the adopted position strengthens the requirements to place on the market products containing F-gases. It would prohibit the use of F-gases in sectors where alternatives exist that are both technologically and economically feasible, including in the heat pump sector.
The Council adopted its position on 5 April 2023. The position, amongst other changes, amends the proposal's phase down schedule, lowers the HFCs quota allocation prices from €3 to €2, agrees to postpone several bans in comparison to the Commission's proposal, mainly for heat pump, and takes a less prescriptive approach on the provisions on penalties.
On 5 October 2023 the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the file, which sets 2050 as the year when the consumption of HFCs would be completely phased out, and 2036 as the year by when the production of HFCs (in relation to production rights allocated by the Commission) would be phased down to a minimum (15%).