Phasing out of HCFC

According to the article 5 of Regulation EC N° 2037/ 2000 concerning substances that deplete the ozone layer, the use of HCFC (R22) is forbidden as from 2015. Some Member States, such as Austria and Denmark, are pushing to advance the deadline to 2010. Article 5 of this regulation also states that European Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and the European Council before 2008 explaining the real situation of the use of HCFCs in the EU. Consequently, on January 13, 2005, the Commission officially announced that they would start a consultation. The Commission is preparing a questionnaire on technical alternatives which could replace HCFCs. The Commission wants to know how many companies use HCFCs in the various EU Member States, as currently no database exists about the HCFC quantities used by supermarkets, cold stores, frozen food producers…This study is expected to last 12 months.