Germany to face court over MAC directive
The European Commission is to refer Germany to the Court of Justice of the EU for its failure to apply the MAC Directive.
Officially known as Directive 2006/40/EC, the MAC Directive stipulates that air conditioning systems in motor vehicles type-approved after 1 January 2011 may not be filled with fluorinated greenhouse gases with a GWP higher than 150. This effectively bans the use of R134a, leaving the “mildly flammable” HFO R1234yf as the only production-ready refrigerant.
After conducting its own tests, German car manufacturer Daimler had refused to use the new refrigerant on safety grounds, preferring to develop systems using CO2. In October, the car manufacturer announced that, while still committed to the use of CO2, it would now be using the R1234yf in the interim to comply with EU regulations.
This failed to appease the Commission which alleges that Germany has infringed EU law by allowing Daimler to place vehicles on the EU market that were not in conformity with the MAC Directive, and failing to take remedial action …