EU review and feedback period of fluorinated greenhouse gas ("F-gas") policy and legislation
Date published:
The European Union ("EU") has carried out a review of its laws on F-gases, and is considering new provisions which may have an effect on NI stakeholders.A draft set of proposed EU Regulations was compiled and a public feedback period closed on 29th June 2022.A new EU law on F-gases may well be issued as a result of these proposed Regulations, and this would likely be directly applicable in NI.
A new NI law, detailing new provisions, with possible new offences and resulting penalties, would then be compiled for consideration in the NI Assembly.
The stakeholders which may be affected include:
- All businesses which use F-gases, including:
- Building contractors, refurbishment, renovation and demolition workers
- Refrigeration
- Refrigerated trucks and trailers
- Air conditioning
- Heat pumps
- Fire equipment
- Electrical switchgear
- Semiconductor manufacture
- Vehicle dismantlers (motor vehicle air conditioning)
- Supermarkets
- Aerosols
- Power stations (organic rankine cycles)
- Metred dose inhalers
- Military equipment
- Products for cooling the skin/ foams, creams, mousses, for personal care
- The enforcing authorities for NI F-gas provisions, i.e.
- the district councils of NI,
- customs authorities, and
- the NI Environment Agency.
- The certification, evaluation and attestation bodies for individuals and for companies.
- The organisations involved with the process of importation and exportation of products into and out of NI.
The opportunity to submit comments has now elapsed, but further information on the proposals can be found on the web-page on the EU feedback period on proposed F-gas Regulations
(scroll down to “Proposal for a regulation - COM(2022)150”, fairly near the bottom.)
Then, you can also sign up for future updates if you wish on the EU’s "Have your Say" page
A shorter summary of the new provisions of the proposed EU Regulation on F-gases is available for your perusal on the attached document.