The European Commission (EC) has heavily hinted at its willingness to be more ambitious in the regulation of F-gases.

“Addressing climate change is not just a challenge, but a wealth of opportunities,” said Clara de la Torre, Deputy Director-General for the EC’s Directorate on Climate Action. “We are asking ourselves to move forward.” De la Torre highlighted the EU’s Green Deal and new Climate Law as strong motivators for what can be done to address f-gases in the EU.

This position was presented at a stakeholder workshop last week, during which a briefing paper was presented that included several possible routes to further regulation of f-gases.

Among the suggestions were proposals to increase training and certification, methods to combat the illegal trade of f-gases, and projections for further phase downs after 2030.

The Commission stressed that the list of proposals is theoretical, and that it would evaluate which would be adopted and at what time.

The briefing paper was created and presented by DG Clima’s consultants: Ricardo, Öko-Recherche, and Öko-Institut.

The Commission will consider this report, and its consultations with stakeholders, when creating its official legislative proposal to revise the current F-gas regulation, which it aims to release in late November, early December this year.