» Back to listing New European Regulations on F-Gas and Ozone Depleting Substances

On 3rd and 11th March 2024 two new European Regulations on fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gas) and ozone depleting substances (ODS) came into force and revoked and replaced existing regulations.

Regulation (EU) 2024/573, on fluorinated greenhouse gases, and Regulation (EU) 2024/590 on substances that deplete the ozone layer now apply in the EU but have relevance to businesses in the UK and Northern Ireland.

After the British exit from the EU certain EU legislation was assimilated in UK law, but any changes to EU legislation since then have not been applied to UK law.  Due to the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland remains within the EU and so has to comply with the new regulations.

Whilst UK companies within Great Britain are no longer technically governed by EU law any manufacturing and supply of equipment using F-gas and ODS will need to comply with EU regulations in order to export to Northern Ireland and the EU.  New legislation also applies globally to businesses trading with the EU having an impact throughout global supply chains.  As demands increase for more environmentally friendly alternative gases, the prices of existing F-gases and ODS will increase having economic impacts for businesses.

It should be noted that legislative changes of this kind enacted by the EU tend to result in global changes in legislation as other countries will follow suit.  The UK government has stated an intention to review F-gas controls within the UK which could result in even more stringent restrictions that those demanded of the EU.

The UK government is looking for ways to meet its climate change targets and this may serve as part of the mechanism to achieve these.