France considers ban on pre-charged splits

The French Ministry of Environment is considering a ban on sales of pre-charged split air-conditioning systems to the public. This proposal aims at preventing private individuals from acquiring and putting these systems into service without a certified professional.
The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration European Association (AREA), which calls for such a ban within the context of the review of the F-gas Regulation considers that “having a qualified engineer to install these systems is a logical step to further reduce refrigerant emissions and tighten the F-gas Regulation”.