Glossary for F-gas policy

For a detailed definition of the "beneficial owner" of an undertaking, please consult Article 3(6) of Directive (EU) 2015/849.

A professional that has been certified to handle F-gases and alternatives to F-gases for specific equipment in accordance with EU minimum certification requirements. Member States must ensure that certification programmes covering different types of equipment exist.

A statement that is required by importers and manufacturers confirming that equipment or products comply with specific regulatory requirements regarding F-gases.

Taking equipment or products permanently out operation or use, including the final shutdown of a facility.

Procedures to handle F-gases in products and equipment when they are no longer used.

The act of assigning regulatory responsibilities to a third party to ensure compliance with F-gas regulations.

The process of permanently eliminating F-gases through chemical reactions.

The exit of substances, products and equipment from the customs territory of the EU, provided that the territory is covered by the ratification of the Montreal Protocol.

A valid registration in the F-gas Portal as an exporter of F-gases or or products and equipment containing F-gases.

A company or entity that is legally registered and operates within the European Union.

The legislative framework governing Fluorinated greenhouse gases in the EU. The current rules are in Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases, which entered into force on 11 March 2024. The previous F-gas Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 was applicable from 2015 to 10 March 2024, and the first EU F-gas Regulation No (EC) 842/2026 from 2006 to 2014.

The Commission's centralised online platform to implement the HFC quota phase-out, manage the requirements of imports and exports, including lincensing, and reporting obligations for undertakings under the F-gas Regulation.

The greenhouse gases that are listed in Annex I, II, and III of the F-Gas Regulation, or mixtures containing any of those substances. F-gases include HFCs, PFCs, SF6 and other fluorinated compounds. F-gases are human-made gases. They highly contribute to global warming. F-gases are used in industrial processes for everyday products, equipment such as refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps, insulation, fire protection, power lines, and aerosol propellants. 

A measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific period, usually 100 years, compared to carbon dioxide (CO₂). It shows the impact of a greenhouse gas on our climate. 

A specific group of F-gases. HFCs represent around 90% of all F-gases and are tused in refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pump equipment, and other applications. 

A scheme established in 2015 to gradually limit the amount of hydrofluorocarbons  placed on the EU market. The maximum amount is set per calendar year and is reduced over time, ending with a phase-out of HFCs in 2050. The system is EU-wide and is implemented by the Commission.

Import and distribution of F-gases circumvent the quota system for hydrofluorocarbons or prohibitions to place F-gas products and equipment on the EU market. Suspects of illegal trade of F-gases should be reported to the competent Member State authorities.

Quota holders to which the Commission has assigned a reference value.

Entry of substances, products and equipment into the EU provided that the territory is covered by the ratification of the Montreal Protocol and includes, among other things, release for free circulation, transit, temporary admission, end-use, and processing. 

A valid registration in the F-gas Portal as an importer of F-gases  in bulk, or products and equipment containing F-gases. 

An amendment to the global treaty 'Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer' which puts legal obligations on its parties to gradually phase down the production and consumption of HFCs worldwide. 

Inspections to detect leaks from equipment containing F-gases. All leaks must be repaired without undue delay.

Substitutes for F-gases that have a relatively low global warming potential, such as ammonia, CO2, and hydrocarbons or F-gases with a very low GWP.

Medical devices commonly use HFCs as propellants to deliver medication.

A metric is used to reflect the weight as opposed to the potential climate impact measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. 1 metric tonne equals 1000 kg.

Quota holders that are not having a reference value assigned to them by the Commission.

A fluorinated greenhouse gas used in the production of electronics.

A person or company appointed by a non-EU manufacturer to ensure compliance with the F-gas Regulation within the EU.

Another type of F-gas, used in various industrial applications, which has a high global warming potential.

A fixed place of business, where both the necessary human and technical resources are permanently present and through which a person's customs-related operations are wholly or partly carried out. 

Chemicals that persist in the environment and can pose health risks. They are also known as 'forever chemicals'. EU Restrictions on PFAS are being considered, including restrictions on some F-gases.  

This is the address where the company has its permanent business establishment (please see glossary on 'permanent business establishment').

When something is imported and made available for the first time in the EU, either for sale or free of charge, it is “placed on the market”. This also applies to substances, products, or equipment that were produced for personal use.

Sanctions imposed by the Commission or/and the national authorities on actors non-compliant with the F-gas Regulation. The Commission can only sanction quota exceedance, whereas Member States can sanction all infringements in accordance with their national laws, with due consideration of the penalty requirements in Article 31 of the F-gas Regulation.

A group of highly warming F-gases used in various industrial applications. These gases have a relatively  high global warming potential.

The limit to the amount of bulk hydrofluorocarbons a quota holder may place on the EU market within a calendar year. It is expressed in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO₂ eq).

The annual quota distribution by the Commission which is based on reference values and declarations by undertakings.  From 2025, the distributed quota for the following year will become subject to payment.

Rights obtained from a quota holder by an importer of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, heat pumps or metered dose inhalers pre-charged with hydrofluorocarbons. The importer uses acquired authorisations to comply with the obligation to ensure that the amount of HFCs pre-charged in the imported goods are covered under the quota system. The quota holder (the grantor) can introduce an amount of authorisations in the F-gas Portal and the importer of the goods can validate the amount in the F-gas Portal. Only quota holders with a reference value may introduce quota authorisations and only authorisations have have been validated by the importer in the F-gas Portal can be used by the importer.

An application for quota from a reserve dedicated to undertakings that have submitted a declaration to obtain (additional) quota. A quota declaration must be submitted through the F-gas Portal to be valid, typically covering three years. The next deadline for submitting a declaration is 1 April 2027. Only producers and importers that have experience in trading activities of chemicals or in servicing refrigeration, air-conditioning or fire protection equipment or heat pumps for 3 consecutive years prior to the quota allocation period are allowed to submit a quota declaration and receive quota on that basis.

Is the amount of quota left in a given year of the maximum quantity of hydrofluorocarbons allowed for the EU in accordance with Annex VII after quota based on reference values to incumbants has been subtracted. 
 

From 2025, the quota allocated by the Commission will be subject to a payment of €3 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent.

A transaction in the F-gas Portal between two quota holders in the F-gas Portal, where one quota holder transfers (parts of their) quota to another undertaking  that is registered as an importer/ producer of bulk hydrofluorocarbons in the F-gas Portal. Only quotaholders with a reference value may transfer their quota. 

The process of collecting and storage of F-gases from containers, products and equipment during maintance or servicing or prior to disposal of the containers, products or equipment.

The reuse of recovered F-gases following a basic cleaning process.

An amountdesignated in a Commission Decision to individual producers and importers of bulk hydrofluorocarbons  that placed on the market hydrofluorocarbons during the previous three years. It is calculated as the average of the hydrofluorocarbons quantities the company lawfully placed on the EU market and reported since 2015. 

The data undertakings must report on F-gas-related activities by 31 March each year for the preceding year, as specified in Article 26 and Annex VIII to the F-gas Regulation. Reporting must be done in the F-gas Portal following a special format.
 

The latest legislative framework governing the use and reduction of fluorinated greenhouse gases in the EU.

This specific type of F-gas is a very potent greenhouse gas used primarily in the electrical industry for insulation and arc quenching.

A metric measure that is used to quantify the potential climate impact of a specific amount of a greenhouse gas e.g. of F-gases imported or contained in product or equipment. It is calculated by multiplying the weight of the gas in metric tonnes by its global warming potential.