Spain. The Association of Cold Companies and their Technologies (Aefyt), expressed its concern about the increase in the prices of refrigerants due to the new regulations, which has generated negative consequences.
The application of the Tax on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases has had numerous repercussions on the European cold industry: loss of competitiveness, decrease in sales, increase in the illegal market and increase in the price of refrigerants, above 37% in some cases.
However, according to a survey conducted by ComRes for a company in the sector, up to 40% of retailers are unaware of regulatory changes and, above all, are not aware of the real increase in prices. This explains why when asked about their priorities when selecting a gas, they have limited themselves to citing safety, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability and have ignored the economic cost.
Even the preferred option among the alternatives available to replace HFC systems, carbon dioxide (CO2), could cost on average any retailer up to 51,000 euros more per establishment, compared to hydrocarbon systems, over a ten-year period.
European retailers appear to be committed to the transition to low-GWP refrigerants, but are unaware of how the planned HFC reduction has been planned over the next few years, the details set out by the legislation, and the challenges associated with these changes. In fact, this misinformation may be having a negative impact on the pace at which the industry is assuming and applying the changes imposed by current legislation.
In this sense, European associations have shown their concern about the increase in prices and demand solutions from their governments that respond to the growing problem of meeting the demand for refrigerant gases.
"In Spain AEFYT has been fighting against the Tax on Fluorinated Gases for two years, demanding its repeal or, in the worst case, the limitation of the percentage, an annulment that it considers necessary to ensure the harmonization of Spain with the rest of the countries of the European Union, constituting our country practically an exception in the EU," the association statement reads.
Also in Germany, the Bonner Stimme movement, which brings together three of the main associations in the cold sector, has requested, among other measures, a round table composed of representatives of industry, commerce and administration in which possible solutions are addressed.
Source: Aefyt.
