EUROPE: European manufacturers and others within the air conditioning and refrigeration industry are preparing to fight proposals revealed within the leaked F-gas revision document.
Industry representative EPEE, the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment, is expected to announce its position at a special press conference at the Chillventa exhibition in Nuremberg on Tuesday but ACR News has learned that although the organisation is in favour of the principle of a cap and phase-down it is against product bans and fears that an end to pre-charged equipment will put European manufacturers at a disadvantage

The contents of the leaked document first revealed by ACR News last week, indicates that the F-gas revision proposes a steep phase out of HFCs in Europe, reducing consumption in steps from 7% less in 2017 to a 79% reduction by 2030. Clearly, targeting the high GWP refrigerant R404A, the document also proposes placing a stepped ban on uses of all refrigerants with a GWP over 2,150.

Speaking to ACR News, EPEE secretary Andrea Voight said 'We welcome a phase down but our big concern is bans on top of ambitious phase downs. Why do you need bans if a phase down is in place?'

Andrea Voight also expressed concern at the suggestion of a ban on the supply of pre-charged equipment which would put European manufacturers at a disadvantage in international markets. 'Those manufacturers who manufacture inside the EU and export would need to have two production lines, putting them at a distinct disadvantage,' she said.

'I am confident that if a lot of people voice their concerns there will be a change,' she added.