Industry

At an extraordinary meeting of the European Union Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) in Strasbourg, the state of negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, the so-called trilogue, was discussed. The purpose of the trilogue is to reach a preliminary agreement that would be accepted by both the EU Parliament and the Council. The role of the European Commission is to mediate between the parties.

The much-awaited agreement to revise the European F-Gas Regulation (517/2014) is not expected this month.

Speaking at the 20th European RACHP Conference in Milan on June 9, EPEE chief Russell Patten acknowledged that the issue of a ban on hydrofluorocarbons is no longer relevant. “The issue is the pace of transition and the availability of alternatives.”

The EU’s industry and energy committee has voted through changes to the F-gas revision which could allow more time for industry to meet the EU’s climate and energy ambitions.

After a slight increase in 2020, the total supply of F-gases to the EU continued to decline in 2021, according to the latest report from the European Environment Agency.

Industry groups from Europe and Japan have condemned F-gas amendments proposed by lead rapporteur Bas Eickhout, saying they would jeopardise the wider EU climate and energy targets.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), a key EU advisory body, has released its opinion on the proposed EU F-gas Regulation, calling for a ban on all refrigerants with a GWP above five in new heat pumps, room air conditioners, chillers and refrigeration applications as of 2030.

A new report proposes an EU ecolabel for food retail stores covering their main environmental impacts including the cooling and refrigeration systems, the building’s design and operating procedures.

The EU’s F-gas phase-down remained on track in 2017, according to the latest annual update published by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Introduced on 30 November 2016 by the European Commission, the ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ package is a set of legislative measures to support the clean energy transition in the European Union. Accelerate Europe explains in the latest issue how this will affect market for natural refrigerant based equipment.

The EU’s ‘Winter Package’ of climate legislation, tabled yesterday, proposes to increase energy efficiency by 30% by 2030 in an effort to cut emissions and meet Europe’s obligations laid out in the Paris Agreement.