Our reaction to ENVI report on the F-gas Regulation

GCP Europe welcomes the adoption of the report by MEP Bas Eickhout on the revision of the F-gas regulation by the European Parliament’s Environment Committee on 1st March 2023.

GCP Europe supports the report’s call for more training and certification for installers to ensure the safe handling of flammable non-fluorinated gases used in heat pumps. GCP Europe believes that this is crucial to maintain high standards of quality and safety for consumers and workers.

GCP Europe believes that the report needs to be further improved on the following points:

- mandatory periodical inspections leak checks should be extended to all equipment containing refrigerants (fluorinated and non-fluorinated greenhouse gases) to ensure the safety and the efficiency of the HVAC systems;

- more time should be given to transition to equipment using refrigerants based on non-fluorinated gases to allow the training and certification schemes to be adapted in a realistic time frame. 

“We believe that sincere ambition must rime with coherent execution. The wish for an accelerated phase-down on F-gases on one hand and for an accelerated deployment of heat pumps on the other hand can only come true through massive attention and support to the installers' and mechanical contractors' sector.  The European Year for Skills must make this the priority." said Oliver Jung, Secretary General of GCP Europe.

GCP Europe stands ready to contribute to the further stages of the legal procedure with its expertise and experience.