ACRIB, representing UK refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry has welcomed the publication this week of the new F-Gas Regulation in the Official Journal on 20 May 2014. This means that the existing F-Gas Regulation will be repealed and the new Regulation will come into force on 9 June and begin to take effect from the 1 January 2015.

This was followed by publication of The European Commission’s notice to producers and importers of HFCs and new entrants. One of the most critical elements of the new regulation is that it sets the rules for HFC quota allocations and managing the HFC Phase Down. The notice set application deadlines and describes the procedure that importers and producers, including the new entrants, have to follow in order to be eligible to receive quota from the Commission. The notice confirms that placing on the market of these substances needs to be accounted for in the quota system laid down in the Regulation.

All this is the culmination of many years of intensive work collecting feedback from industry, submitting responses to the Commission consultations and liaising with UK Government representatives.  ACRIB are pleased to see that many of its recommendations were taken up and that elements of the new regulation will strengthen areas identified by UK industry as weak in the original regulation.
 
The phase down and limited bans for certain applications will provide certainty for the industry to move forward with choices for new systems, given the impending R22 phase out.  However, work will continue to clarify definitions and requirements and to increase awareness of the changes and updates will be posted regularly on the ACRIB website at www.acrib.org.uk .  Implementation acts will be announced and official guidance is expected in the coming months.  In response to demand from industry ACRIB will be holding a conference on 11 November in London to review these changes and provide a summary of guidance available.