Latest UK F-gas news
Since the latest European Union (EU) F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573 was adopted on 7 February 2024 and started to apply on 11 March 2024, Great Britian (GB) is no longer in regulatory alliance on F-gas regulation with Europe. While Northern Ireland still conforms to EU regulation, GB retains the original F-gas regulation (Regulation (EU) No 517/2014) that was applied when the UK was a member of the EU.
The UK Government has begun a consultation on the regulations in GB. The context behind the policy is to ensure that the UK is able to achieve the Montreal Protocol (Kigali Amendment) phase down of HFC consumption by 85% by 2036 and also achieve the net zero carbon budget by 2050. The consultation was launched on 5 November and closes 17 December 2025.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are responsible for the proposed changes to the regulation in GB. They are proposing that the current HFC phase down is amended from 1 January 2027 with a move from a target of 79% cut to a target of 98.6% cut by 2048.
No changes to the placing on the market prohibitions already applied in Annex III of the GB regulation are proposed. No changes are proposed for the quota allocation mechanism, metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), SF6 in switchgear, training and certification of technicians or F-gas recovery. Several phase down options are in the consultation (depending on ambition) but would be managed through quota levels rather than product-GWP bans (see graph below).
If you would like to comment on the consultation you can do so though the following link or via the IOR: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/fluorinated-gases-and-ozone-depleting-substancespolicy-team/f-gas-regulation-in-great-britain/.
However the phase down is managed and controlled it will become increasingly difficult to use or purchase higher GWP refrigerants. Therefore, there will be a need to move to lower GWP options. If you would like help to manage this change or to modify equipment, please do contact us (email Alan Foster at: alan.foster@rdandt.co.uk).