F-GAS New Proposal: Thousands of Companies Expected to Benefit!

Since the implementation of the new Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on March 11, 2024, the thresholds for F-GAS annual reporting and auditing have been lowered, and corporate obligations have increased compared to the previous regulation. Specifically:

• Starting from 2025, producers and importers of HFCs (no tonnage limit) or other fluorinated greenhouse gases exceeding 1 tonne / 100 tonnes CO₂ equivalent must submit annual reports by March 31 each year;
• Starting from 2025, equipment manufacturers placing pre-charged HFCs exceeding 10 tonnes CO₂ equivalent or other fluorinated greenhouse gases exceeding 100 tonnes CO₂ equivalent on the market must submit annual reports by March 31 each year;
• From 2025 onwards, by April 30 each year, gas producers or importers placing HFCs exceeding 1,000 tonnes CO₂ equivalent on the market must submit an audit report as an annex to their annual report;
• From 2025 onwards, by April 30 each year, importers of equipment containing pre-charged HFCs exceeding 1,000 tonnes CO₂ equivalent (where such HFCs have not been placed on the market prior to charging) must submit an audit report.

The regulation also requires that all importers and exporters of fluorinated gas (F-gas) products must register on the official website (F-gas Portal). According to official data, approximately 2,000 new companies apply for registration each month, many of which are small car dealers importing or exporting used vehicles containing F-gas in their air conditioning systems.

Last month, three committees of the European Parliament voted in favor of a proposal to introduce the concept of Small-Medium Companies (SMCs) and extend the current exemptions applicable to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to SMCs. This initiative aims to prevent the "cliff-edge" situation where obligations increase sharply once a company exceeds the SME threshold.

Members of the European Parliament propose defining SMCs as companies with fewer than 1,000 employees, and either turnover not exceeding €200 million or total assets not exceeding €172 million (the European Commission's proposed thresholds were: 750 employees, €150 million turnover, €129 million total assets). Meanwhile, Parliament seeks to ensure that support for SMEs is not weakened, that EU assistance follows the principle of "prioritizing small businesses", and that these thresholds are reviewed every five years.

The Commission has proposed a continuation measure to raise the F-gas Portal registration threshold for SMCs. Under this proposal, only equipment manufacturers placing pre-charged HFCs exceeding 10 tonnes CO₂ equivalent or other fluorinated greenhouse gases exceeding 100 tonnes CO₂ equivalent on the market, or enterprises exporting products subject to restrictive regulations, would be required to complete registration on the F-gas Portal.

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, together with the Committee on the Environment, passed the above amendment proposal with 158 votes in favor, 9 against, and 10 abstentions; the inter-institutional negotiation was authorized with 166 votes in favor, 9 against, and 0 abstentions.

Since no objections were raised during the plenary session from March 9 to 12, subsequent negotiations were able to commence.

Official projections indicate that if the proposal takes effect, approximately 10,000 companies will no longer need to register on the EU F-gas Portal in 2026 alone, based on the proposed changes.

Please note: F-gas importers and exporters are NOT affected by these changes!

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Further Information

European Parliament