ShareEU F-Gas Regulation: European Parliament Environment Committee supports stronger restrictions
The European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) voted on June 19, 2013, in favour of strengthening the F-Gas Regulation proposed by the European Commission in November 2012.
The European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) voted on June 19, 2013, in favour of strengthening the F-Gas Regulation proposed by the European Commission in November 2012.
Amendments adopted by the ENVI Committee include:
. bans on the use of HFCs in new equipment for additional sectors (with possibility of time-limited exemptions following an expert consultation): by 2020 for stationary refrigeration (except equipment intended for use at operating temperatures below -50°C), stationary air conditioning and air conditioning in cargo ships and by 2025 for mobile refrigeration;
. a stricter HFC phase-down schedule: the maximum quantities of HFCs to be placed on the market have been decreased for years 2016-17 (to 90% from 93%) and 2030 (to 16% from 21%);
. introduction of an allocation fee of up to 10 € per tonne of CO2 eq. of HFC placed on the market by producers and importers.
This vote is only a step in the process of adopting the revised F-Gas Regulation; the ENVI Committee “voted to give a green light for the European Parliament’s rapporteur to open negotiations with member states. If the Council adopts a common position in July, talks could begin after the summer recess.”
Several stakeholders of the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry criticized the ENVI Committee amendments as unworkable, including EPEE which estimates that “European Parliament asks for the impossible and does not care who pays the bill”.
Amendments adopted by the ENVI Committee include:
. bans on the use of HFCs in new equipment for additional sectors (with possibility of time-limited exemptions following an expert consultation): by 2020 for stationary refrigeration (except equipment intended for use at operating temperatures below -50°C), stationary air conditioning and air conditioning in cargo ships and by 2025 for mobile refrigeration;
. a stricter HFC phase-down schedule: the maximum quantities of HFCs to be placed on the market have been decreased for years 2016-17 (to 90% from 93%) and 2030 (to 16% from 21%);
. introduction of an allocation fee of up to 10 € per tonne of CO2 eq. of HFC placed on the market by producers and importers.
This vote is only a step in the process of adopting the revised F-Gas Regulation; the ENVI Committee “voted to give a green light for the European Parliament’s rapporteur to open negotiations with member states. If the Council adopts a common position in July, talks could begin after the summer recess.”
Several stakeholders of the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry criticized the ENVI Committee amendments as unworkable, including EPEE which estimates that “European Parliament asks for the impossible and does not care who pays the bill”.