G/TBT/N/EU/91  
 
7 February 2013  
(13-0622)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :    
European Commission 
EU-TBT Enquiry Point 
Fax:  +(32) 2 299 80 43 E-mail:  eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website:  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   
- Fluorinated greenhouse gases (hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) 
 and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)) as listed in Annex I of the proposal and other 
 fluorinated gases listed in Annex II; 
- Products and equipment containing or relying on those substances (in particular 
 refrigeration, air conditioning equipment and heat pumps, fire-protection systems, 
 electrical switchgear, aerosol sprays, fluorinated greenhouse gas containers,  solvents and foams). 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Proposal for a 
Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on fluorinated greenhouse gases (COM (2012) 643 final) (45 pages, in English, French and Spanish).     
6. Description of content:  The proposed Regulation maintains the current provisions of  
R eg ulation (EC) N o 842 /20 06) with minor ad jus tments  to e ns ure  be tter imp le me ntation 
and enforcement of the legislation by national authorities. Furthermore, some measures 
are extended e.g. to certain transport mode s (trucks and trailers) with refrigeration. 
Quantitative limits for the supply of bulk HFC substances in the EU are proposed, 
complemented by measures ensuring that quantities used in equipment are also covered 
by the quantitative limit with a gradually declining "cap" for total placement of bulk HFC substances. 
The placing on the EU market of bulk HFCs is subject to quotas allocated free of charge to 
companies based on past reporting data, with a reserve for new entrants. The Regulation 
introduces labelling requirements for certain producers. 
Additional reporting obligations are proposed to enable the functioning of the phasedown 
measure and monitoring of the trends in usage of fluorinated greenhouse gases not yet 
covered by the legislation. G/TBT/N/EU/91 
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  F-Gases are strong greenhouse gases. The production and use of F-Gases, 
also due to the phase-out of ozone depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol, has 
been growing strongly in recent years. Sinc e equipment and products containing F-Gases 
have in general a long lifetime, a lack of public intervention today would result in higher emissions up to several decades into the future. 
The impact assessment concluded that the target of reduction of greenhouse gas 
emissions by 80% to 95% below 1990 emissions by 2050 can be reached by the proposed phase-down of HFC bulk supply, complemented by some additional measures (emission 
reduction by ca. 72 million tonnes CO2-equivalents in 2030). 
8. Relevant documents:   Regulation (EC) No 842/2006 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council of 17 May 2006 on certain fluori nated greenhouse gases (OJ L161, 14.6.2006, 
p. 1-11) 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. do?uri=OJ:L:2006:161:0001:0011:EN:PDF " 
Report from the Commission on the application,  effects and adequacy of the Regulation on 
certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (Reg ulation (EC) No 842/2006)(COM(2011) 581 
final) 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0581:FIN:EN:PDF  
Impact Assessment - Review of Regulation (EC) No 842/2006 on certain fluorinated 
greenhouse gases 
http://ec.europa.eu/ clima/policies/f-gas/legislat ion/docs/swd_2012_364_en.pdf    
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    To be determined 20 days from publication in the Official 
Journal of the EU (about a month after 
adoption approx.) The provisions shall apply from 1 January 2014. 
10. Final date for comments:  90 days from date of notification 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [  ], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:    
European Commission 
EU-TBT Enquiry Point 
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43 
E-mail: mailto:eu-tbt@e c.europa.eu  
The text is available on the EU-TBT Website:  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/  
and at 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2012:0643:FIN:EN:PDF  
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2012:0643:FIN:FR:PDF  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2013/tbt/EEC/13_0425_00_e.pdf