| Author (Corporate) | Council of the European Union, European Parliament |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Official Journal of the European Union |
| Series Details | 2024/573 |
| Publication Date | 20/02/2024 |
| Content Type | Blog & Commentary, Legislation, News, Policy-making |
Summary:Regulation (EU) 2024/573 - adopted by the co-legislators on 7 February 2024 - focusing on fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gas). It introduces amendments to Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and repeals Regulation (EU) No 517/2014, also known as the F-Gas Regulation. This is a text with EEA relevance. Further information:F-Gases are human-made chemicals that are very strong greenhouse gases (GHG), often several thousand times stronger than carbon dioxide (CO2). Regulation (EU) 517/2014 - which is repealed by this Act - was adopted to reverse the increase in F-gas emissions. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are the most important group of F-gases in terms of emissions relevant for the climate and the main novelty of the F-gas Regulation was the establishment of an EU HFC phase-down. This Regulation lays down revised rules on containment, use, recovery, recycling, reclamation and destruction of fluorinated greenhouse gases and on related ancillary measures, such as certification and training, which includes the safe handling of fluorinated greenhouse gases and of alternative substances that are not fluorinated. It also imposes conditions on the production, import, export, placing on the market, subsequent supply and use of fluorinated greenhouse gases, and of specific products and equipment containing fluorinated greenhouse gases or whose functioning relies upon those gases. It imposes conditions on specific uses of the gases, establishes quantitative limits for the placing on the market of HFCs and establishes rules on reporting. The revision of Regulation (EU) 517/2014 followed an evaluation prepared by the European Commission on its implementation and impact. A year-on-year decrease of gas emissions starting was registered. The EU market supply of HFCs also declined between 2015 and 2019. There was a shift to the use of alternative with lower global warming potential. However, a number of challenges were identified as regards the EU's quota system and the monitoring mechanisms, the efficiency of the reporting and verification activities, and the need to clarify some of the existing rules. Moreover, the F-Gas Regulation was also adopted ahead of the Kigali Amendment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, and it did not fully comply with all the obligations. The European Green Deal adopted in 2019 launched a new umbrella strategy seeking to embed environmental and climate action across all policy fields. In this framework, the European Climate Law set out legally binding targets to reach climate neutrality in the European Union (EU) by 2050. The EU also enhanced its ambition in the context of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The F-Gas Regulation is deemed instrumental when it comes to emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases. However, under the previous Regulation the emission savings by 2030 would not be achievable at this rate and unused potential to save more emissions was identified by the assessment carried out by the Commission. The draft for this Act was adopted by the European Commission on 5 April 2022 as part of a so-called Emissions and Pollutants Package. The plenary of the European Parliament endorsed a negotiating position on 30 March 2022. The Council of the European Union adopted its general approach on 5 April. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text for this file was reached on 5 October. This was formally endorsed by Parliament on 16 January 2024 and by the Council on 29 January. The Act was signed by the co-legislators on 7 February 2024 and published in the Official Journal on 20 February 2024. |
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| Source Link | http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/573/oj |
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| Subject Categories | Environment |
| Subject Tags | Atmospheric | Air Pollution, Climate Change |
| Keywords | Greenhouse Gas | GHG Emissions |
| International Organisations | European Union [EU] |
