Proposed ban on F-gases gets cool reception

Climate Action Network (CAN) said they were
satisfied that MEPs pushed for the regulation to have its legal
base on the environment provisions of the EC Treaty, along with
internal market ones. "It shows that this is clearly an
environmental issue and the Committee recognised this," CAN Europe
told EURACTIV. However, CAN Europe said that choosing a dual legal
base will in effect postpone the decision to a later stage (in
plenary or Council), and described the move as only "a step in the
right direction". On the upholding of the containment strategy for
stationary appliances (such as refrigerators), CAN Europe believes
it is a "lost battle" that implies a lot of effort from industry
for little result.

The
European Fluorocarbons Technical Committee (EFCTC)
- which represents producers of F-gas es - said it regretted the
decision of the environment committee to "dictate the choice of
technology in mobile air-conditioning", arguing that HFC 134a
offers more flexibility and environmental performance. On the
choice of the dual legal base, EFCTC says "this could lead to
market distortions as some Member States might impose stricter
controls than others".

The
European Partnership for Energy and the Environment
(EPEE) - which represents refrigerant manufacturers using
HFCs - opposes the proposed ban on HFCs and favours a strategy
based on containment. In EPEE's view, "banning the use of HFCs in
domestic refrigerators is inappropriate and does not help reaching
the goal of greenhouse gas emission reduction, as these gases are
contained in hermetically sealed systems". EPEE also regretted that
the committee amended the legal base from a purely internal market
to a dual one based also on the environment provisions of the
Treaty.

The
European automakers association (ACEA) said they
were currently examining the implications of the vote. The
discussion points focus on the alternatives to HFC-134a and the
deadlines for phase-out as well as the implications of the dual
legal basis.

On 12 August 2003, the Commission adopted a proposal for a
regulation to reduce by almost one quarter the projected
fluorinated gas emissions by 2010 as part of its

European Climate Change Programme (ECCP).
The main elements of the proposal are provisions to improve the
containment of these gases, better reporting, specific restrictions
on marketing and use of F-gases in certain applications, and a
phase-out of HFC-134a of car's air conditioning systems (see
EURACTIV, 9 September
2003).

The Parliament is scheduled to vote on the proposed F-gases
regulation in its next plenary session (week of 25 March).