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MIPIGGS Newsletter - F Gas EU Update MiPiGGs Newsletter - F Gas EU Update The EU Council has reached a common position on F gases. The legal basis has been changed. The Mobile Air Con section has been weakened, and despite efforts by Denmark, Austria and Germany, the refrigeration sector hasn't been added in the phase-outs. Due to technical problems we cannot bring you a full newsletter but this statement was issued by Greenpeace today: Lowest Common Denominator for Fluorinated Gases Regulation Greenpeace calls on the European Parliament to rectify Council's climate failure Luxembourg, 14 October 2004 - Greenpeace expressed disappointment today at the Environment Council agreement on the Fluorinated Gases Regulation (1). EU Ministers made minimal improvements to the weak Commission proposal. "Europe is leading the way in climate-friendly alternatives to fluorinated gases and today's decision ignores this. This is a missed opportunity to induce a shift in the global market that would have significant environmental benefits," said Mahi Sideridou of Greenpeace. In a positive move, the Council agreed to change the legal basis of the Regulation, basing it on Article 175 (Environment). There remain exceptions, however, relating to bans on certain applications, which stay under Article 95 (Internal Market). Mobile air conditioning is removed from the Regulation entirely and dealt with under an existing Directive, also based on Article 95 (2). The Council failed to recognise the availability of environmentally-friendly alternatives to fluorinated gases. Like the Commission, it focused on containment rather than replacement of the gases. It agreed with the Commission prohibitions on 'niche' applications (sports shoes, windows, tyres, etc) but left key sectors untouched. The Regulation does not phase out HFCs in domestic refrigeration, for example, despite the fact that the EU market is dominated by climate-friendly, hydrocarbon technology. And the growing stationary air conditioning sector is ignored. Greenpeace welcomes the fact that mobile air conditioning will be covered under the separate Directive, but regrets the extended timeframe for phase-out and the fact that not all fluorinated gases are covered. The legal basis of 95 means that governments will not be able to take measures that go beyond the suggested scope or timeline of the legislation in the interest of the environment and in order to meet Kyoto Protocol targets. This is a particular blow to Austria and Denmark, which have designed ambitious national legislation on fluorinated gases, and to Sweden, which had expressed a wish to do so. "This is a sad day for the fight against climate change," said Mahi Sideridou. "Instead of following the lead of countries like Denmark and Austria, which have embraced the challenge of tackling gases up to 23,900 times more potent than carbon dioxide, the Council and Commission have gone for the lowest common denominator. We urge the European Parliament to address the growing emissions of these potent greenhouse gases." Notes: Contact: For any enquires contact: secretary@mipiggs.org |
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