Brussels, 01/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday evening the Parliament and Council reached an agreement in conciliation on a packet of measures to gradually phase out the most dangerous gas fluorides in tyres, progress that was welcomed as a success in the fight against global warming by the institutional triangle. The agreement, obtained at the first conciliation meeting, focuses on two texts: a general regulation text for reducing emissions of all gas fluorides (HFCs, PFCs, SF6) and a draft directive on gas fluorides used in car air conditioning systems (EUROPE 9059). Introduced ten years ago to replace CFCs and HCFCs that destroy the ozone layer, gas fluorides that are present in air conditioning, refrigeration, fire protection, insulation foams, aerosols, training shoes etc has rapidly demonstrated that they are no panacea. Very powerful greenhouse gases have a potential for global warming of more than 20,000 more than those of C02 and also have a lengthy life span. This is why they need fighting.
The initial stumbling block between Parliament and the Council, national derogations for the future regulation for Member States with tougher legislation for reducing their green house gas emissions have constituted the essential part of conciliation procedures. Parliament initially wanted Member States to maintain stricter measures (Denmark and Austria - or adopt - as Sweden wants - in an effort to respect their commitments in the Kyoto Protocol. The Council wants a cut off date for these exemptions - 31 December 2012 - so that the functioning of the internal market is not upset (the regulation has a double legal basis: Article 175 “Environment” and 95 “Internal Market”). Negotiators succeeded in overcoming this difficulty with a compromise: Parliament agreed on the deadline (date when the first period of Kyoto Protocol commitments expires), on the condition that the Commission in the interval examines action to take post 2012 by the EU and its Member States in light of existing or future international agreements.
Car air conditioning, gas fluorides have a potential of being 150 times more powerful in terms of global warming and will be banned in 2011 for new models and for all vehicles from 2017. This threshold will be for eliminating certain gases that are currently used (such as HFC-134A) but will allow the use extended use of HFC 152 A whose global warming potential is ten times less powerful.
Antonios Trakatellis, who headed the EP delegation informed the press that he welcomed the discussions between the Council and Parliament and of the “constructive role played by Commissioner Dimas, which allowed for this excellent result. I am happy because it is the third time under the Austrian presidency that conciliation on very difficult environmental subjects, finish successfully” (following the new directives on “bathing water”, “mine waste management: Editor's note). He declared that “the agreement involves all Member States, including Denmark and Austria who have the strictest legislations”. Joseph Pröll, president of the Council was delighted that negotiators succeed in the two areas: overcoming divergences between Member States, that between Parliament and the Council. Responding to the press, Pröll explained that Austria intended to ban the use of gas fluorides in refrigerators in 2008 and that these gases had been banned in aerosols since 2003. He added that with this agreement all Member States would go in the direction of Denmark and Austria rather than restrict these two countries from going over the same path again. Avril Doyle from Ireland (EPP-ED) rapporteur was delighted with the agreement which would allow the EU to mount a three pronged attack against the six green house gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol. According to Doyle, the agreement is an excellent balance and guaranteed the effective working of the internal market, as well as supporting the most ambitious Member States.
Stavros Dimas, Environment Commissioner was unable to conceal his joy, “ the EU has shown that it is capable of agreeing on concrete measures for stepping up the fight against climate change…If nothing had been done, in 2020, we would experience a 50% increase in these gases. With this new regulation, we have obtained a 20% decrease in emissions compared to 1990 (reference year for the Kyoto commitments). Dimas did not overtly state that infringement procedures against Austria and Denmark would be abandoned but that “the Commission is still examining the responses from Austria and Denmark. The result will mean an official Commission communication being produced that takes into account the result of conciliation”.