The European Parliament has reached the final phase of the revision process of the F-Gas Regulation which will end with the adoption of the new Regulation, scheduled for the second half of 2023. Assocold, Cold Technologies Manufacturers, the association that in Anima Confindustria represents the world of industrial and commercial refrigeration, has been working in close contact with the institutions for some time, asking for stricter legislation on climate-altering gas emissions to reduce the environmental impact of the refrigeration sector and proposing to enhance the innovative technologies available to the sector, with an ever greater than natural refrigerants.

"As an association, we hope that Europe will decisively take the path of decarbonisation and respect for the environment on the important issue of F-Gases, especially in sectors such as refrigeration where technologies and products are ready and currently used" comments the president of Assocold, Francesco Mastrapasqua. “The joint efforts of the industry and the market, to reduce greenhouse emissions caused by old commercial refrigeration equipment and those that are gradually being placed on the market, can, especially if supported by ambitious rules and regulations, lead to a positive impact both at an environmental level and for industrial development. Our sector is growing among many contingent difficulties. The Anima Research Office has forecast a production of 1,950 million euros in 2022, up 5.1% compared to 2021, of which 57% is represented by the export share. This growth trend is largely driven by sustainability and owes much to the technological advancement of Italian industries that deal with refrigeration and which are among the most advanced at an international level”.

The review process of the F-Gas Regulation started in 2022 with the publication of the proposal by the European Commission. For the first days of March, the vote of the ENVI Commission, Environment, is expected in the European Parliament, which has put forward several new amendment proposals concerning, among others, the extended producer responsibility schemes, news regarding certification and training of operators and new bans on the placing on the market of equipment that works with F-Gases with a high greenhouse impact. The new F-Gas regulation should be adopted in the second half of 2023 and applied from 1 January 2024.
President Mastrapasqua concludes: “We really hope that the national and European institutions will align our sector and send a clear message in favor of adoption of the best green technologies with very high efficiency and natural refrigerants, which are crucial for a true ecological transition".