Following a protracted process, the Council and European Parliament reached agreement yesterday (Tuesday), under the mediation of Council President Josef Pröll, on a regulation governing fluorinated greenhouse gases and a directive on the use of fluorinated gases in air conditioning units for cars. “These two legal instruments will make an important contribution to climate protection in Europe, while giving a noticeable boost to technology and innovation. Europe has thereby demonstrated an ability to act”, stated Environment Minister Josef Pröll on the subject of the successful negotiations. In practice, the agreement means that, from the time it takes effect - presumably in the middle of 2006 - the use of gases causing serious damage to the climate will be subjected to strict controls, and gradually prohibited in certain products, such as shoes, tyres, windows, or fire extinguishers. From 2011, there will be a strict threshold value for the use of fluorinated gases in air conditioning units in newly licensed vehicles. This provision will be extended from 2017 to prohibit the fitting of air conditioning units containing particularly damaging gases on all vehicles.
Fluorinated gases are primarily employed in air conditioning units, fire extinguishers, insulation and foamed materials. From an environmental perspective they are the worst climate killers – with an effect that is 22,000 times more damaging than CO2 in certain respects. The new arrangements mean the use of such gases should be better controlled throughout Europe, and emissions massively reduced. Member States that have already adopted national regulations in this area will be given the opportunity of temporarily retaining their own (sometimes stricter) standards until 2012, when the first Kyoto targets expire. However, before then the Commission has to conduct a review of the regulation with a view to further raising standards across Europe. In addition, yesterday’s agreement includes explicit consent for promoting environmentally friendly alternatives within individual Member States. Furthermore, Pröll believes it is important to improve the provision of information to consumers. “Apart from a label containing essential information, we have agreed that the operating instructions will provide further details and explanations on the effect of these gases”, the Environment Minister said.
“The result is not just an important step in terms of climate protection, but will also credibly substantiate Europe’s pioneering role in environmental matters”, Pröll pointed out, by way of conclusion.
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