F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System: Quota allocation, authorisation and reporting

This page provides information on

Quota allocation for bulk HFC importers and producers
Quota authorisation for importers of HFC-precharged equipment
Reporting obligations on fluorinated gases.

Quota allocation and quota authorisation

Consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom on the quota allocation

Since the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, companies established in Great Britain have to mandate an "only representative", which is a company established in the EU or in Northern Ireland for the purpose of compliance with the requirements of the F-gas Regulation (EU) 517/2014 (see Article 16(5)). Furthermore, representatives established in Great Britain are no longer considered as "only representatives" for the purpose of imports of HFCs into the EU or Northern Ireland from third countries.

For more information please consult the notice to stakeholders ‘Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of fluorinated greenhouse gases’ and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland

Allocation of quota: Quotas are needed for the import and production of bulk HFCs.

Quotas are allocated based on a company-specific reference value (determined every 3 years; see below) and/or based on an annual declaration of (additional) anticipated needs from a quota reserve. Companies wishing to apply for import and production of bulk HFCs from this reserve have to make a declaration for the subsequent year in the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System. The latest dates of the declaration period are published in the Official Journal early each year. A quick guide illustrating the steps for submitting a quota declaration is available.

Quota can only be used for the calendar year that it is issued, i.e. only for imports/production in the period between 1 January to 31 December of that year.

Quota is needed for the import of bulk gas only. Importers of HFCs in precharged equipment require a quota authorisation. Both – quotas and (quota) authorisations are not needed for imports of less than 100t of CO₂ equivalent of HFC per year (in equipment or as bulk gas).

Authorisation of quota: Imports of all HFC precharged refrigeration, AC and heatpump equipment require the obtaining of a quota authorisation, unless an annual threshold of 100t CO₂ equivalent is not exceeded or the HFC was previously placed on the market in the EU.

Authorisations must be agreed between a quota holder and an importer of precharged equipment AND must be entered online in the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System to be valid. Authorisations, once issued in the system, cannot be cancelled. The system also allows for delegating authorisations one more time (only), e.g. by an equipment manufacturer, in order to help their importers comply with their obligations. Please see details in our guidance for equipment importers: Guidance document.

Many quota holders are listed in the Implementing Decision. This allows importers of equipment containing HFCs to contact these companies and obtain the quota authorisations required to place such equipment on the EU market.

Registration: Registration in the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System is mandatory for companies to receive a quota. It is also compulsory for importers of equipment containing HFCs and all entities supplying or receiving exempted gases such as those HFCs imported for destruction, for use as feedstock, directly exported in bulk, as well as for use in military equipment, in semiconductor manufacture or for metered dose inhalers (MDIs).

Consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom

Since the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020:

undertakings established in the EU or Northern Ireland have to report trade with entities in Great Britain as import to or export from the EU.
undertakings established in Great Britain exporting fluorinated greenhouse gases and gases listed in Annex II to the EU incl. Northern Ireland have to report through an EU-based only representative
auditors accredited by the UK National Accreditation Body can no longer draw up verification reports for submission according to Article 19(5) and (6) of Regulation (EU) No 517/2014.

All companies which have to report on F-gas related activities according to Art. 19, such as imports of gases or precharged equipment, EU production and export of gases, stocks, destruction and others should similarly register in the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System to enable access to the reporting forms.

Transfer of quota: The online mechanism for transferring bulk quota from one company to another is available in the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System (guidance document).

Background: Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 includes a phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under which the placing on the EU market of HFCs by each undertaking is subject to quantitative limits. Since 1 January 2015 a quota is required for producers and importers placing at least 100 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent of HFCs in bulk on the market in a calendar year. Since 2017 also HFC pre-charged in refrigeration, air-conditioning and heatpump equipment must be covered under the quota system.

The European Commission allocates quotas in accordance with Regulation (EU) 517/2014 (Art. 16, Annexes V, VI). The quotas are allocated in tonnes CO₂ equivalent to importers and producers of bulk gases. Quotas are not allocated to manufacturers and importers of gases contained in products and equipment. The latter undertakings must assure compliance with the quota system in other ways, through a declaration of conformity and, for importers, the use of authorisations (guidance document) unless they are below an annual threshold of 100t CO₂ equivalent.

Quota Allocation Process

In the quota allocation process, a distinction is made between two types of companies:

(1) Companies with a reference value

Companies are assigned a reference value reported if they placed at least 100 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent of HFCs in bulk on the EU market in the years 2015 and/or 2016. The Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1604 of 23/10/2020 lists the names of the companies concerned.

Companies are allocated a yearly quota on the basis of their reference value as well as by annually declaring additional anticipated quantities in accordance with Regulation 517/2014 (Article 16(3), (4), (5), Annexes V, VI).

The quota is determined as 89% of the reference value multiplied by the phase-down factor (i.e. 45% for 2021-2023). For the allocation of quotas from the reserve, companies with a reference value declaring additional anticipated quantities will be treated in the same way as companies newly entering the market.

(2) Companies without reference value

Quotas may be allocated to these entities on the basis of a pro rata distribution taking into account the declared needs (Regulation (EU) 517/2014, Annex VI). Declaration of need and allocation of quota is repeated on a yearly basis. The dates of the declaration are published in the Official Journal early each year.

Quota Penalties

Companies that exceed their quota are allocated a reduced quota in the allocation period(s) following detection. A penalty of 200% of the exceedance amount is applied. Furthermore, the responsible Member State will impose further penalties in cases of infringements of the Regulation according to national law.

Where to get more information?

The EU Member States are responsible for implementing Regulation (EU) No 517/2014. Please contact the relevant person in your Member State.

For questions on quota allocation and the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System only, please email CLIMA-HFC-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Disclaimer: This page was developed for the sole purpose of assisting companies in the quota allocation process. Please refer to the Notice in the Official Journal and Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 for the full legal detail.

Reporting obligations

Consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom takes effect on 1 February 2020. From that date, the United Kingdom will be a third country. However, during the transition period, which ends on 31 December 2020, the F-Gas Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 continues to be applicable to and in the United Kingdom.

Once the transition period of the Withdrawal ends on 31 December 2020

undertakings established in the United Kingdom exporting fluorinated greenhouse gases and gases listed in Annex II to the EU have to report through an EU-based only representative;
undertakings established in the EU-27 Member States have to report trade with entities in the United Kingdom as import to or export from the EU.
auditors accredited by the UK National Accreditation Body can no longer draw up verification reports for submission according to Article 19(5) and (6) of Regulation (EU) No 517/2014.

The tool for reporting on F-gas-related activities is accessible via the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System. It usually opens early February to allow timely reporting before the legal deadline of 31 March each year.

Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 517/2014 requires that production, import, including gases in equipment, export of bulk gases, feedstock use and destruction of the substances listed in Annexes I or II in the Regulation are reported annually before 31 March, for the previous calendar year. The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2017/1375 of 25/07/2017 determines the format and means for submitting the report.

Who has to report?

Producers, importers or exporters that produced, imported or exported one metric tonne or 100 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent or more fluorinated greenhouse gases and gases listed in Annex II, including companies (producers or importers) to which quotas have been transferred
Undertakings that destroyed one metric tonne or 1 000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent or more of fluorinated greenhouse gases and gases listed in Annex II
Undertakings that used 1 000 tonnes of CO₂equivalent of fluorinated greenhouse gases as feedstock
Undertakings that placed 500 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent of fluorinated gases or gases listed in Annex II contained in products or equipment on the market (but no obligation to report if these gases were bought on the EU market or imported as bulk ("released for free circulation") previous to being put in the equipment)
Undertakings that placed on the market precharged refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment where hydrofluorocarbons contained in this equipment have not previously been placed on the Union market

What needs to be reported?

The reporting requirements depend on the role of the reporting company in the market. A reporting tool in line with the F-gas regulation specifies all the required information that is relevant for the specific activities.

How to submit the reports?

Every year companies need to submit their report for the previous year before 31 March. The entrance to the reporting tool, which is handled by the European Environment Agency (EEA), is achieved via the F-gas Portal & HFC Licensing System through the orange "Reporting" button in the top right corner.

More information on the reporting obligations and tool are available