FAQ

F-gases contribute to climate change by trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Their global warming potential (GWP) is often thousands of times higher than the one of carbon dioxide (CO₂).

GWP measures the impact of greenhouse gases relative to carbon dioxide (CO₂) over 100 years. For example, SF₆ has a GWP of around 24 300, meaning it is 24 300 times more effective at trapping heat than CO₂.

The EU regulates the use of F-gases through the F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573, which includes measures such as:

• a quota system to limit the amount of HFCs placed on the EU market
• leakage prevention systems
• certification and training
• proper recovery and disposal of F-gases

Measures include regular leak checks, proper maintenance and servicing of equipment, recovery and destruction of F-gases at the end of the equipment's life, and stricter rules to prevent emissions during transportation and disposal.

The EU has implemented the 2024 F-gas Regulation and its successor, which have significantly reduced F-gas emissions through a quota system, equipment bans, leakage prevention, and promoting greener alternatives.

Reducing F-gas emissions lowers their overall greenhouse gas impact, contributing to climate change mitigation. The transition to low-GWP alternatives and improved handling practices reduces the presence of these potent gases in the atmosphere​​​​ and, therefore, limits their climate impact.

Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) are human-made gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, significantly contributing to global warming. They include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃). HFCs represent around 90% of all F-gases.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are synthetic gases used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and other applications. They are potent F-gases that highly contribute to global warming, which is why they are being phased out gradually and eliminated in the EU via the EU F-gas Regulation’. Meanwhile, a global phase-down of HFCs is also occurring under the international agreement of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

To register in the F-gas Portal, entities must:

• Create an EU Login account
• Login to the F-gas Portal
• Complete the registration form with the necessary details
• Submit it for review by the European Commission

The registration form must be kept updated to remain valid​. 

F-gas Registration rules are available under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2473

Please see our Guidelines for auditors on how to register in the F-gas Portal. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for auditors on how to register in the F-gas Portal, which is mandatory before they verify reports under Regulation (EU) 2024/573.

Yes, please find them here. 

Both documents are accessible through the starting page of the F-gas Portal. Alternatively, please use the links below:

• Security statement
• Privacy statement

The Commission aims to process registration requests within 10 working days. However, if the fields are not completed correctly or if the required documentation is incomplete or inaccurate, the procedure may take longer, as the Commission will return the registration request for corrections. At one point, the Commission may reject the registration request.

Please check whether your company's registration in the F-gas Portal is VALID. As soon as the status of your company’s registration in the F-gas Portal is VALID, you will be able to see the F-gas Portal ID number in the PROFILE menu, section "Organisation Details." For a PDF confirmation, please click on ‘import/ export license’ in the top right corner.

If the status is REQUESTED, it means we will process your registration as soon as possible (in the order received), and if all information is complete and accurate, we will validate it. In case of discrepancies, incomplete information and/or if additional information is required, we will return the registration request to the registered account manager in the F-gas Portal with a corresponding comment. Even though the account manager will receive an email notification, we recommend checking the F-gas Portal regularly.

If the status is DRAFT, the registration still needs to be completed by the undertaking and then submitted to us (click SUBMIT in the lower right corner).

The status REVISION means that we have already returned the registration to the account manager because some information is missing, fields are not correctly filled in, and/or additional information is required. The account manager should follow our comment in the F-gas Portal and then click SUBMIT in the lower right corner. We will review the registration request as quickly as possible. 

Please consult the following tutorial: EU Login Tutorial (europa.eu)

For any issues regarding your EU login consult the EU Login FAQ page. In case you couldn’t find an answer EU-LOGIN-EXTERNAL-SUPPORTec [dot] europa [dot] eu (subject: EU%20Login%20-%20DG%20CLIMA%20registries) (please contact the responsible EU login helpdesk).

Please ensure that you login with the email address you had registered in the F-gas Portal. For any issues with your EU login please consult the following EU Login FAQ In case you couldn’t find an answer EU-LOGIN-EXTERNAL-SUPPORTec [dot] europa [dot] eu (subject: EU%20Login%20-%20DG%20CLIMA%20registries) (please contact the responsible EU login helpdesk).

First of all, if the new main contact is not yet a named user in the registration, the current main contact must add them. They will need an EU Login account to be able to access the F-gas Portal.

The new main contact should then log in to the F-gas Portal and download a new registration form statement. The person logged in performing this action will be named on it as the contact person for the undertaking. Once the registration form statement has been signed and dated by a legal representative of the undertaking, the new main contact should upload it before re-submitting the registration. It is essential that this action is performed by the same person since whoever uploads the registration form statement is indicated as the main contact in the list of users.

Please provide us with the details of the new main contact by email to CLIMA-HFC-Registryec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CLIMA-HFC-Registry[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) and we will add them as a user. then follow the instructions in the previous question. The main contact can also add additional users who may need to access the registration if necessary.

Since the entering into force of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/661 of 25 April 2019 ensuring the smooth functioning of the electronic registry for quotas for placing hydrofluorocarbons on the market, undertakings registering in the F-gas Portal are obliged to submit a financial identification form along with the registration statement. The financial identification form is a part of the verification of the legal existence of the organisation requesting registration to ensure the integrity of the information provided. There will be no further use of the data.

Please email us at CLIMA-HFC-REGISTRYec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CLIMA-HFC-REGISTRY[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) providing the contact details, including an e-mail address of the main contact. We will then add them as a user to the registration, so that they can update it.

You can find more information on this dedicated document, which explores the national implementation of EORI. 

Please email us at CLIMA-HFC-REGISTRYec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CLIMA-HFC-REGISTRY[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) providing an official extract from the national trade register in support of the name change. We will then modify the name for you and put the registration into revision, so that you can provide a new registration form statement and financial ID form.

Only companies that have indicated that they are importers/producers of bulk HFCs in their business specifications have access to this section.

If an undertaking placed 1 000 t CO₂e or more of HFCs (in bulk, pre-charged in equipment/ products) on the EU market in the preceding year, it must – in addition to its annual data report – submit a verification report by 30 April via the reporting tool.

Verification only concerns HFCs, no other F-gases.

Overview of verification obligations:

For guidance only. Regulation (EU) 2024/573 prevails.

(tCO₂e = tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent)

* For placing on the market HFCs pre-charged in equipment/products in the range of 10–999 t CO₂e, reports must be verified by an independent auditor (Art. 19, Reg. (EU) 2024/573). Upload in the reporting tool is optional but recommended. If not uploaded, the verification report, supporting documents and declarations of conformity must be kept for at least 5 years and made available to the Commission or national competent authorities on request.

The legal basis is Article 26 and Annex IX to Regulation (EU) 2024/573 as well as the Reporting Implementing Act.

Furthermore, user manuals and frequently asked questions on reporting/verification are available to assist undertakings and auditors.

The guidance on the verification by independent auditors describes the scope and methodology of both bulk and equipment/products verification including how verification outcomes must be submitted.

 For a brief overview, please refer to the presentations from the reporting and verification webinar.

Independent auditors verify the accuracy of companies' annual reports on HFC activities. They must be accredited pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC or accredited to verify financial statements in accordance with the legislation of the Member State concerned. Furthermore, they must have a valid registration as auditors in the F-gas Portal.

Please see our guidelines for auditors on how to register in the F-gas Portal. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for auditors on how to register in the F-gas Portal, which is mandatory before they verify reports under Regulation (EU) 2024/573. 

The reporting tool, officially known as Business Data Repository (BDR), can be accessed by companies through their registration in the F-gas Portal by clicking on the orange button “Reporting”, located in the upper right corner. 

Verification also takes place in the same reporting tool and auditors should access undertakings’ reports, which have been assigned to them for verification, directly through the reporting tool. They cannot access the tool via the F-gas Portal. Please consult the guidance on the verification by independent auditors for more details.

Quota is required for placing HFCs in bulk on the EU market.

Quota can be obtained 

1. By submitting a declaration for quota needs to the European Commission through the F-gas Portal which is possible at least every three years (next time by 1 April 2027). The exact dates will be published on the message board of the F-gas Portal in advance. Note that only producers and importers with at least 3 years of experience in trading chemicals or servicing relevant equipment may submit a quota declaration and receive quota based on a quota declaration.
2. By acquiring them from a quota holder with a reference value. The matchmaking tool in the F-gas Portal can help to contact them.
3. Incumbent market players may receive quotas based on historical placings on the market.

Quota allocation is limited to producers or importers with an establishment in the EU, or those with an only representative with an establishment within the Union that assumes the full responsibility for compliance with this Regulation and Title II of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. ‘Establishment within the Union’ means, in relation to a natural person, for that person to have his or her habitual residence in the Union and, in relation to a legal person, for that person to have a permanent business establishment as referred to in Article 5, point (32), of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 in the Union;

Producers and importers with at least 3 years of experience in trading chemicals or servicing relevant equipment may submit a quota declaration under Article 17(3) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573 or receive a quota based on such a declaration. The Commission may ask for proof. 

Entities with the same beneficial owner are treated as a single undertaking, and only the first registered entity is eligible for a reference value and quota allocation unless otherwise indicated by the owner. Usually, the Commission takes the historical placings on the market of the linked undertakings into account when calculating the reference value of the single undertaking.

The Commission allocates quotas annually, by 31 December, for the following year.

By 31 October 2024 and at least every three years after that, the Commission calculates reference values for producers and importers of hydrofluorocarbons, who placed HFCs on the market in the last three years. The calculation details are available in Annex VII to Regulation (EU) 2024/573. 

For quotas allocated from 2026 onwards, Regulation (EU) 2024/573 introduces a mandatory price of €3 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent. Please consult the FAQ on quota payment for more information.

Quota is valid in the calendar year (1 January 1 to 31 December) for which it has been allocated.

You can use your quota to place bulk HFCs on the EU market up to the available amount. You need to have sufficient quota at the time of import. Incumbent quota holders can transfer or authorise their quota to another company, which new entrants cannot. Quota cannot be used for imports of equipment or products.

Quotas can be authorised only through the F-gas portal. Both the transferring and receiving companies must be registered in the system. When engaging in the sale of quotas it is important to exercise due diligence as a registration in the F-gas Portal does not serve as a guarantee that the company will fulfil its contractual obligations in agreements between private parties.

Each producer and importer of HFCs who is entitled to a quota allocation for the following calendar year – see Article 17(4) and Annex VIII to Regulation (EU) 2024/573 – and wishes to accept the opportunity to receive quota for that year.

The Commission first calculates the maximum quota allocation that each entitled undertaking may receive, in accordance with Article 17 and Annex VIII to Regulation (EU) 2024/573. That amount is in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. Since the quota price is EUR 3 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, the quota payment amount that each undertaking will be invited to pay is 3 times their calculated maximum quota allocation.

You decide based on the amount of quota that you wish to obtain. Therefore, you may choose to pay:

• the full amount for your calculated maximum quota,
• a partial amount of the calculated maximum quota, or
• nothing at all.

After the payment deadline, the Commission will allocate your quota for the following calendar year considering the amount you paid by the set deadline. If you pay the full amount, you will get your calculated maximum quota plus a possible top-up. If you pay partially, you will get a quota amount corresponding to one third of the amount you paid – please ensure that the paid amount is divisible by EUR 3, otherwise your allocated quota amount will be rounded down. If you decide not to pay at all, or if you pay after the set deadline, your undertaking will not receive any quota for the following calendar year.

The only payment method is by bank transfer. The bank transfer must be made to the Commission’s ING Belgium bank account – the official bank details will be published in the F-gas Portal.

Ensure that your undertaking’s registration in the F-gas Portal is valid and up-to-date, including the contact details, and review it on a regular basis.

Regularly check the inboxes of the email addresses registered in the F-gas Portal, including the spam folder.

Before transferring your quota payment to the Commission’s ING Belgium bank account in EUR, please consult your bank to:

• understand the general procedure
• find out the expected duration
• learn about any applicable charges or fees.

Please note that any charges/fees must be borne by the sender.

For general information on how the quota is calculated and who is eligible, you can refer to Regulation (EU) 2024/573, Article 17(4), Article 18 and Annex VIII. Specific FAQs on quota and information on main obligations of importers and producers of bulk HFCs are also available.

Yes, but ensure that the payment is initiated in EUR. Payments in other currencies would be converted into EUR, and any differences resulting from exchange rate conversions or bank charges may lead to underpayment and a reduced quota allocation. Payments made in CNY will be rejected and returned to the initiating party.

Before transferring your quota payment to the Commission’s ING Belgium bank account in EUR, please consult your bank to:

• understand the general procedure
• find out the expected duration
• learn about any applicable charges or fees.

Yes. Ensure that the paying party indicates the correct payment reference number of your undertaking located outside the EU in the bank transfer. Otherwise, it won’t be possible to match the payment with your undertaking.

Undertakings entitled to a quota allocation for the following calendar year will receive the quota and payment details in early/mid-September via the F-gas Portal. The Commission will inform registered users of these undertakings of the availability of those details. 

The calculation of quota and the related payment relies on data reported by undertakings for the previous calendar year. Quota allocations can only be determined once the verification and compliance checks of those data are completed, which typically takes until late summer.

In early/mid-September, the Commission plans to upload the following information to the registration in the F-gas Portal of each undertaking entitled to a quota allocation for the subsequent year:

• The “calculated maximum quota in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent” for the following year that the undertaking would be eligible to have allocated.
• The “calculated maximum payment in EUR” corresponding to that “calculated maximum quota in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent” that the undertaking is invited to pay.
• The exact payment period (planned for 4 weeks in September/October).
• Other payment and bank details and instructions.

Please note that if you are contacted in any other way regarding the payment details than through the F-gas Portal, it is not from the Commission. Please be vigilant.

Your undertaking must have been considered by the Commission to not be entitled to a quota allocation for the subsequent year in accordance with Articles 17, 18 and Annex VIII to Regulation (EU) 2024/573.

The payment window for the following calendar year will typically remain open for approximately four weeks in September/October. Undertakings entitled to a quota allocation will be notified of the exact payment period via their F-gas Portal registration approximately two weeks in advance. Please note that if you are contacted in any other way than through the F-gas Portal regarding payment details, it is not from the Commission. Please be vigilant.

Within a period of approximately 4 weeks in September/October, you will have to transfer EUR 3 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent for the quota you would like to receive for the following calendar year to the Commission’s ING Belgium bank account, respecting the maximum quota you are entitled to.

By early/mid-September, the following information will be uploaded to your registration in the F-gas Portal (for undertakings entitled to a quota allocation):

• The calculated maximum quota.
• The corresponding maximum payment.
• Your individual payment reference number.
• Bank details and instructions, including the exact dates of the payment period.

Please ensure that all payment instructions are followed precisely to avoid delays or issues with your quota allocation.

Carefully read and follow the information that the Commission will upload to your undertaking’s registration in the F-gas Portal in early September (only if your undertaking is entitled to a quota allocation for the following calendar year).

Make the payment early to ensure it arrives before the deadline.

Pay in one batch. Splitting the payment into multiple transfers may cause problems with matching all your transfers with your registration in the F-gas Portal.

Verify that you have correctly indicated your individual payment reference number when making the bank transfer. This number will be provided in the F-gas Portal.

• Do not include anything else in the payment reference field.
• If the individual payment reference number is missing or incorrect in the bank transfer, the payment cannot be matched to your undertaking, and you risk not receiving any quota.

Ensure that:

• The payment instruction is 'OUR' when initiating international transfers. This means that all charges are paid by the sender (i.e. you).
• The payment is made in EUR.
• The payment you make corresponds exactly to the quota amount you wish to receive, while not exceeding your calculated maximum quota.
• If you pay partially your calculated maximum quota, the amount paid is divisible by 3, as each quota unit (1 tonne of CO₂ equivalent) costs EUR 3.

Undertakings that pay the full calculated maximum payment by the deadline may benefit from redistribution of unpaid quotas if they have a valid declaration (see Article 17(5) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573).

All bank charges – including those of intermediary banks, if applicable – must be borne by the undertaking making the payment. No charges apply if the payment is made via SEPA in EUR.

Payments initiated with the instruction 'BEN' (Beneficiary pays charges) result in deductions from the amount you transfer. Therefore, if you transfer your “corresponding maximum payment” amount you will not be paying for your full “calculated maximum quota”. Hence, you will get a lower quota than you could have obtained.

To ensure that the beneficiary (the Commission) receives the full intended amount, use the payment instruction 'OUR' when initiating international transfers. This means that all charges are paid by the sender.

For more details, please consult your bank.

The quota price is EUR 3 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, meaning 1 quota unit costs EUR 3. To calculate the quota to be allocated based on your payment, the Commission will divide the paid amount by 3. In case of fractions, the quota amount will be rounded down to the next whole tonne of CO₂ equivalent of quota.

An example to illustrate the importance that the paid amount is divisible by 3:

Given for an undertaking:

• calculated maximum quota allocation: 10 000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent
• calculated maximum payment for full quota allocation: EUR 30 000 (=10 000 t CO₂ eq x EUR 3)

No. Only payments in EUR are accepted. It is the responsibility of the paying undertaking to ensure that the payment is initiated in EUR. Any differences resulting from exchange rate conversions or bank fees may lead to an unintended underpayment, which can result in a reduced quota allocation.

Payments in CNY will be rejected and sent back to the initiating party.

The individual payment reference number is a unique identifier assigned to your undertaking by the Commission, used to match your quota payment with your undertaking’s registration in the F-gas Portal. It must be entered exactly as provided in the bank transfer’s reference field to ensure proper allocation of your quota. You can find it in the quota payment instructions in the F-gas Portal registration of your undertaking.

No, because each undertaking is registered separately in the F-gas Portal and has its own individual quota allocation and individual payment reference number. Payments must be made separately for each undertaking, using the respective payment reference number to ensure correct allocation.

Yes, you can, provided that the bank transfer includes the correct individual payment reference number corresponding to your undertaking.

Payments received on the Commission’s ING Belgium bank account after the set deadline will not be considered when calculating the quota allocation. This means your undertaking will not receive any quota for the following calendar year.

No. Only payments received within the announced payment period will be considered when calculating the quota allocation for the following calendar year.

Until 31 December 2027, unpaid quota will be redistributed to undertakings that:

1. paid for their calculated maximum quota by the payment deadline in full and
2. have a valid quota declaration (see Article 17(5) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573).

From 1 January 2028, unpaid quota is cancelled.

If you already know that you will not be paying for any quota in the future, please inform the Commission by email at CLIMA-HFC-Registryec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CLIMA-HFC-Registry[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu). This will help prevent quota from being redistributed or, from 2028, even cancelled.

It is crucial that you do not forget to include your individual payment reference number. If you do not include your number, or if there are any typos, the payment cannot be matched to your undertaking or the transaction, and you risk not receiving any quota.

Please check whether the payment amount has been deducted from your bank account.

During the payment period, the Commission regularly monitors incoming payments. Using the payment reference number, your payment will be matched to your undertaking’s registration in the F-gas Portal. After approximately one week after your payment, you should be able to see in your registration profile the amount received by the Commission from your undertaking. If not, please check with your bank first to see if there were any issues with the payment.

Please note that this paid quota amount is not your allocated quota.

Amounts that undertakings were invited to pay, and that eventually they did not pay by the deadline, will be redistributed to undertakings that:

1. paid their calculated maximum payment by the deadline and
2. have a valid declaration (see Article 17(5) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573).

If applicable, considering the paid quota amount and a redistributed quota amount, the Commission allocates the final quota to each undertaking for the subsequent year (planned by the end of November; the legal deadline for quota allocation is 31 December).

Using the individual payment reference number indicated in the bank transfer, your payment will be matched to your undertaking’s registration in the F-gas Portal. Approximately, one week after your payment you should be able to see the amount received from your undertaking. The Commission will upload incoming payments regularly to the F-gas Portal. Therefore, we recommend to also check the registration of your undertaking in the F-gas Portal regularly. If the paid amount has not been recorded in the F-gas Portal within one week, please check with your bank first to see if there were any issues with the payment.

The Commission does not issue receipts or invoices. During the payment period, it regularly monitors incoming payments. Using the payment reference number, each payment is matched to the undertaking’s registration in the F-gas Portal. Approximately one week after a payment, the amount received from your undertaking should be visible in the registration profile.

For supporting evidence of payments for the quota allocation pursuant to Article 17(5) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573, the Commission advises undertakings to retain the following:

• The F-gas Portal notification of payment details for the undertaking and the subsequent matched incoming payments received by the Commission.
• The proof of the bank transfer(s).

If you have a valid quota declaration pursuant to Article 17(3) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573 for that year and/or a reference value in accordance with Article 17(1), you are likely eligible for a quota allocation. Should you be eligible, the Commission will calculate your maximum quota allocation and invite you to pay again the following year.

If you already know that you will not be paying for any quota in the future, please inform the Commission by email at CLIMA-HFC-Registryec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CLIMA-HFC-Registry[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu). This will help prevent quota from being redistributed or, from 2028, even cancelled.

Your undertaking will keep its reference value for the applicable years.

If you have a reference value for the next allocation period, the Commission will calculate and determine the quota allocation next year, and you will be again invited to pay for it.

The Commission only allocates quota once a year for the subsequent year. However, you can acquire quota through a transfer from another undertaking that holds quota. The matchmaking tool in the F-gas Portal can help to contact other undertakings that have quota and the right to transfer.

Any amount paid which is above than the calculated maximum payment will not be considered when determining your undertaking’s quota for the following calendar year.

Excess funds will be refunded only if the overpaid amount exceeds EUR 12. Amounts below this threshold will not be reimbursed due to disproportionate administrative costs. Any bank fees incurred due to the repayment must be borne by the undertaking.

You can acquire authorisations from a quota holder only. The matchmaking tool in the F-gas Portal can help you get in touch with them.

No, under the new F-gas Regulation, which entered into force in March 2024, new entrant quota holders cannot authorise their quota anymore. Only quota holders with a reference value can. They are listed in the relevant implementing act under Documentation. 

Authorisations (and delegations) are not time-bound but valid until used up.

Authorisations can only be delegated through the F-gas portal. Both the granting and receiving companies must be registered in the system. The grantor must be registered as authorisation manager in the F-gas Portal, the receiving company as importer of HFCs pre-charged in equipment or product. When engaging in such sale it is important to exercise due diligence as a registration in the F-gas Portal does not serve as a guarantee that the company will fulfil its contractual obligations in agreements between private parties.

Independent auditors verify the accuracy of companies' annual reports on F-gas activities. They must be accredited pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC or accredited to verify financial statements in accordance with the legislation of the Member State concerned. Furthermore, they have to be registered in the F-gas Portal.

In addition to the F-gas Regulation, please consult this related Implementing Act. Furthermore, dedicated guidelines are available for consultation.

The reporting tool can be accessed through the company’s profile in the F-gas Portal by clicking on the orange button “Reporting” in the upper right corner.

The EU uses the F-gas Portal to monitor compliance, including digitalisation and customs control automation. This system helps enforce the regulations, track quota allocations, and prevent illegal trade​​.

Non-compliance with the F-gas Regulation can result in penalties varying by Member State. Companies must adhere to the reporting, quota, and handling requirements to avoid legal and financial consequences​​.

The F-gas Regulation includes rules to prevent and fix leaks from equipment using F-gases. Operators of equipment containing significant quantities of F-gases must ensure regular leak checks and proper maintenance to reduce accidental emissions.

Individuals and companies working with F-gases must be properly trained and certified. This includes technicians and personnel involved in installing, servicing, and maintaining equipment that uses F-gases, ensuring safe and efficient handling.​