Hydrofluorocarbon phase-down in Europe

Following two decades of fluctuation, European Union emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) peaked in 2014. They have since fallen by about 33%. This can be largely attributed to the EU-wide hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phase-down set out in the F-gas Regulation, which aims to reduce F-gas emissions and mitigate global warming. HFCs account for the majority of F-gas emissions. The EU is currently on track to meet targets and phase-down HFC use by 2030. It is also on track to meet its international obligation to reduce HFC consumption under the Montreal Protocol, in effect since 2019.

Figure 1. EU progress under the hydrofluorocarbon phase-down set out in the EU F-gas Regulation

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Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) — which include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) — contribute to global warming. These gases are used in a range of applications, but the refrigeration, air conditioning and heating sector account for the majority of F-gas use in the EU.

Between 1990 and 2014, EU F-gas emissions increased by around 70% overall and accounted for about 3% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (see EEA GHG data viewer). The increase was largely caused by the substitution of ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) with HFCs in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sector and the sector's overall growth. The F-gas Regulation, revised in 2024, aims to reduce F-gas emissions by two-thirds of 2010 levels by 2030. It focuses on improving the leak-tightness of equipment, promoting environmentally friendly alternatives to F-gases and capping sales of HFCs on the EU market through a phase out by 2050.

The EU-wide HFC phase out is expected to result in large reductions in F-gas use and emissions. HFCs accounted for around 90% of F-gas emissions in 2022. To place bulk HFC gases on the market, companies must hold sufficient quotas, which are expressed in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents to create an incentive to use gases with lower global warming potential. The maximum quantities of quotas are set to decrease steadily from 2015 to 2050 (Figure 1). The HFCs quantity placed on the EU market was particularly high in 2014 before the phase-down began. It has declined markedly and remained below the maximum quantity set by the F-gas Regulation in 2015 and each year since. Thus, the EU is on track to meet its HFC phase out targets.

Since 2017, HFCs in imported refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment have been included in the quota system through authorisations acquired by equipment importers from quota holders. The HFC phase-down under the F-gas Regulation applied to the EU-27 and the UK up to 2020. The maximum quota quantities from 2021 onwards have been adjusted to the EU-27 scope. The definition of maximum quota quantities under the revised F-gas Regulation was extended to 2050. Starting in 2025, it includes HFCs in metered dose inhalers for pharmaceutical use. This explains why the 2025 maximum quantity for HFCs under the EU phase out is higher than 2024.

Additional efforts at EU and country levels aim to reduce HFC leakage from refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, encourage the recovery of gases at the end of equipment lifetime, promote the use of non-HFC refrigerants and ban the use of HFCs for certain applications. The HFC phase-down process has successfully reduced F-gas emissions by about 33%, after a 2014 peak.

Figure 2. EU progress towards the worldwide hydrofluorocarbon consumption phase-down under the Montreal Protocol

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At international level, HFC consumption is regulated under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. In accordance with the 2016 amendment, which came into effect in 2019, developed and developing countries have committed to an HFC phase-down by meeting progressively decreasing HFC consumption targets.

The phase-down schedule for the EU and the group of developed countries starts at 90% of the baseline going down to 15% by 2036. The EU is well on track to comply with its obligations under the Montreal Protocol: In 2023, EU-27 HFC consumption was 55% below the Montreal Protocol target recalculated to the EU-27 geographical scope.

For details on underlying trends in the EU supply of HFCs and other fluorinated gases, and differences between the ‘consumption’ metric used under the Montreal Protocol and ‘Placing on the Market’ (POM) used under the F-gas Regulation, see Flourinated greenhouse gases 2024 at the ETC CM website.

Supporting information

DefinitionMethodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

For progress under the EU HFC phase-down, placing on the market (POM) is calculated as follows for all HFCs and mixtures containing HFCs, with physical mass converted into CO₂ equivalents using the GWPs of the IPCC’s AR4:

quota-relevant POM = quota-relevant physical POM + issued authorisations + imported RACHP equipment, where not covered by quota authorisations held by the importer, and where:
- quota-relevant physical POM (relevant starting 2015) = physical POM as given in section 4M of the reporting questionnaire - exempted quantities as given in section 5J of the reporting questionnaire;
- issued authorisations (relevant starting 2015) are those given in section 9A of the reporting questionnaire;
- imported RACHP equipment, where not covered by quota authorisations held by the importer (relevant starting 2017) = calculated amount of imported HFCs in need of authorisation to use HFC quota (as given in section 13D of the reporting questionnaire) - available authorisations, including delegations of authorisations (as given in section 13A of the reporting questionnaire).

Under the Montreal Protocol, the HFC phase-down is based on reducing HFC consumption. Consumption is calculated as production + bulk imports - bulk exports - destruction - feedstock use of HFCs.

All information provided to the European Commission and the EEA on transactions of F-gases in the EU is treated as strictly confidential. The Commission and the EEA have established procedures to ensure that all of the data relating to individual companies will be kept strictly confidential. No company-specific information is disclosed to the public; all company data are aggregated before publication. These procedures limit the release of data that might significantly rely on reports from less than three company groups. To this end, company groups that contribute less than 5 % do not count towards the 'three-company rule'. Concerns over confidentiality can be addressed to the European Commission or to the entity designated by the European Commission.

Methodology for gap filling

Not applicable.

Methodology references

No methodology references available.

Policy/environmental relevance

Justification for indicator selection

Emissions of F-gases contribute to global warming and are included in the basket of greenhouse gases addressed in the UNFCCC Paris Agreement. F-gases presently account for around 3% of overall greenhouse gas emissions in the EU-27. At European level, policy measures have been implemented since 2006 to reduce emissions by:

targeting the 'leak-tightness' of equipment containing fluorinated gases;
encouraging increased reclamation of used gases;
banning the use of certain high-GWP gases in some applications for which more environmentally superior alternatives are available.

Furthermore, phase-down schemes for the use of HFCs were agreed within the EU in 2014 and globally under the Montreal Protocol in 2016.

Scientific references

No rationale references available.

Context description

Fluorinated gases contribute to global warming, and emissions of fluorinated gases, which are not covered by the Montreal Protocol, are included under the UNFCCC. Since 2015, emission reporting for the full time series since 1990 has been carried out in accordance with the 2006 IPCC guidelines and uses the global warming potentials (GWPs) of the Fourth IPCC Assessment Report (AR4). For a list of fluorinated gases reportable under the UNFCCC, please refer to the indicator definition. Companies reporting under the 'old' EU F-gas Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 842/2006, applicable from 2007-2014) and under the revised, ‘new’, F-gas Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 517/2014, applicable since 2015) must cover an extended list of fluorinated gases.

At European level, two key legislative instruments focus on fluorinated gases:

Regulation No 517/2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases and repealing Regulation No 842/2006 (F-gas Regulation);
Directive 2006/40/EC relating to emissions from air-conditioning systems in motor vehicles (MAC Directive).

The F-gas Regulation takes several approaches to reducing F-gas emissions:

It aims to improve the 'leak-tightness' of equipment containing F-gases. Related measures comprise labelling equipment containing fluorinated gases, the training and certification of personnel and companies that handle these types of gases, the containment of gases within equipment and the proper recovery of gases from equipment that is no longer in use.
It promotes avoiding the use of fluorinated gases in applications for which more environmentally superior alternatives are cost effective. Related measures include restrictions on the use and marketing of fluorinated gases in such cases.
Large reductions in F-gas use and emissions are expected to result from a new measure that will progressively cap allowed sales of HFCs on the EU market ('phase-down').

The MAC Directive requires the gradual phase-out of F-gases with a GWP of >150 in new systems in the period 2011-2017 in the EU.

At global level, the Montreal Protocol was amended to regulate HFCs in October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda (the 'Kigali Amendment'). Both developed and developing countries have taken on mandatory commitments to reduce the production and consumption of HFCs in the next three decades. Under the amended protocol, for the EU and other developed countries, HFC consumption is limited to 90% of the baseline starting in 2019, with further reduction steps planned until 15% of the baseline is reached from 2036 onwards.

The 'new' F-Gas Regulation 517/2014 maintains many measures of the 'old' F-Gas Regulation 842/2006, in particular related to leak prevention, recovery, certification of technicians and selected restrictions on the use and marketing of F-gases. Large reductions in F-gas use and emissions are expected from a new measure, which will progressively cap allowed sales of HFCs on the EU market ('phase-down'). Reductions are also expected from bans of F-gases with a high GWP.

Targets

Under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, no separate targets for F-gases have been specified.

In the EU context, the revised, 'new', F-gas Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 517/2014) aims to reduce emissions by two thirds of the 2010 level by 2030.

Metadata

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References and footnotes

<div class="csl-bib-body" style="line-height: 1.35; "> <div class="csl-entry">UN, 1987, Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, Secretary-General of the United Nations.</div> </div>
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<div class="csl-bib-body" style="line-height: 1.35; "> <div class="csl-entry">EC, 2018, 'EU ratifies Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol', ( <a key=link-1 href=https://ec.europa.eu/clima/news/eu-ratifies-kigali-amendment-montreal-protocol_en rel="noopener"> https://ec.europa.eu/clima/news/eu-ratifies-kigali-amendment-montreal-protocol_en </a>) accessed October 25, 2020.</div> </div>
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