F-Gas Regulation 2025: Important Changes and Actions – Energiamegújítás

New regulations will come into effect in Hungary on March 1, 2025, affecting the use and handling of climate gases ( F-gases ). This change will affect not only professionals, but also businesses and households.

Why is this important? Greenhouse gases, such as refrigerants, contribute to global warming, so the European Union and Hungary aim to reduce their use and promote environmentally friendly alternatives.

The new regulations introduce new registration, data reporting and qualification obligations, among other things. Industry players, including fitters and dealers, need to prepare for the changes. The aim is for the regulations to promote more sustainable, safer and more economical operations.

Why you should pay attention now? With the new regulations coming into effect on March 1, it is important for everyone involved to understand and implement the changes in a timely manner. Being prepared can help you avoid legal issues and penalties, while providing benefits in terms of long-term sustainability and economic benefits.

Changes to F-gas regulations

What gases are affected by the regulation?

The F-gas regulation primarily targets fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases), but the new regulations also cover alternative refrigerants. The gases affected by the regulation include:

Fluorinated gases (e.g. HFCs, PFCs, SF6) – these gases are the most commonly used in refrigeration systems.
Carbon dioxide – although not considered an F-gas, carbon dioxide is also regulated when used as a refrigerant gas.
Ammonia – also included among the refrigerants, especially in industrial applications.
Hydrocarbons – such as methane, propane, butane, which can be alternative, more environmentally friendly refrigerants, but regulations also affect the use of these substances.

What is the purpose of the new regulation?

The main objective of the new regulation is to reduce the emissions of global warming gases while promoting the spread of more sustainable cooling solutions. The European Union and Hungary aim to:

Reduce the use of harmful F-gases: The regulation limits the use of gases that have a high global warming potential ( GWP ).
Increase the use of environmentally friendly alternatives: Alternative refrigerants , such as carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrocarbons, offer more sustainable choices.
Promote the development of green technologies: The regulation encourages the use of new technologies that can reduce the environmental footprint of industrial and domestic cooling systems.

The most important changes

Registration and data reporting obligations

The new F-gas regulation extends the registration and reporting obligations to alternative refrigerants. This means that activities involving the use of carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrocarbons must also be registered and the data on these must be continuously updated. The change aims to bring alternative refrigerants under even stricter control, ensuring their proper management and reducing their impact on the environment.

Change in business activity categories

The regulation also modifies the activity categories of enterprises. In the new system, several activity categories will be eliminated and new, unified categories will be created. For example:

Instead of HR-I and HR-II categories, a single HR category will apply to stationary systems.
The MR-I and MR-II categories are combined into the MR category for mobile systems.
The HR-III and HR-IV categories will be discontinued and their tasks will be taken over by the Recovery and Leakage Testing categories.

Sales of pre-filled equipment

The regulation also modifies the sales process for pre-filled devices. According to the new procedure:

Dealers can only sell pre-filled equipment if the buyer has the necessary installation certificate.
It is the responsibility of the installer to ensure that the product complies with regulations and that the installation is properly recorded in the database before installing the equipment.

Leak test and supervision fee

Leak test obligation

The obligation to carry out a leak test under the new regulation covers various types of applications that contain climate gases. Systems that contain fluorinated gases are generally required to be leak tested, with the exception of electrical switchgear. A leak test is required in the following cases:

F-gases: for all refrigeration equipment, except for electrical switchgear.
Carbon dioxide: if the cooling circuits contain at least 5 kg of carbon dioxide, they must be registered, but there is no obligation to conduct leak testing.
Ammonia: must be registered regardless of quantity, but leak testing is not required.
Hydrocarbons: if the refrigeration circuit contains at least 150 g or a refrigeration circuit installed in a residential room contains at least 1 kg of air conditioning gas, a leak test is also not required.

Supervision fee

The amount of the supervision fee will change in the new regulation. According to the new system, the fee must be paid as follows:

Businesses are required to pay an annual fee based on their activity category. The uniform annual fee is HUF 40,000, which is determined by the given activity category.

Additional charges may apply depending on the amount of charge in the applications. The charge is calculated taking into account the CO₂ equivalent of the charge. For example:

For F-gases and ORLA applications: 60 HUF/tCO₂ equivalent.
For carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrocarbons: 30 HUF/tCO₂ equivalent.

The supervision fee is payable annually, in two equal installments, per calendar semester. The fee for the first semester is due by September 30th, and the fee for the second semester is due by March 31st.

The data can be queried in the Klímagáz database, and the fee payment must be made based on the balance notification found there.

The process of selling pre-loaded equipment and the role of the installation certificate

The new F-gas regulation tightens the process for the sale and installation of pre-charged equipment, aiming to ensure proper handling of climate gases and traceability. The following steps show how the sale and installation process takes place:

Customer declaration regarding installation

Before a pre-filled device is sold, the buyer (installer) must declare in writing that the installation will be carried out by a qualified professional.

The declaration is made on paper and contains the equipment data.
If the equipment contains a refrigerant that is classified as A2 or A3 (e.g. propane), the customer must be specifically informed about the safety regulations.

Sale of equipment

The dealer then sells the equipment, for which the necessary data is added to the declaration.

Equipment installation and installation certificate (TT) generation

It is the installer's responsibility to record the fact of installation of the equipment in the DATABASE after installation.
The Installation Certificate (CC) can then be generated, which certifies that the equipment has been installed in accordance with the regulations. There are two ways to generate the certificate:

Via mobile app:

The mechanic fills in the data,
It is authenticated with an electronic signature,
The data is sent to the installer by email.

Generated from database:

The installer prints the certificate from the system,
After a manual signature, it is scanned,
The document is returned to the installer.

At the end of the equipment life cycle: dismantling and recording in a database

When a piece of equipment is taken out of service, the installer is required to record the fact of dismantling in the DATABASE. This ensures that the proper disposal of the equipment can be tracked.

Contents and role of the installation certificate

The installation certificate (TT) is an official document that certifies that the installation of a given equipment has been carried out in accordance with legal requirements. The certificate contains:

Equipment data: Serial number, type, type and quantity of air conditioning gas, and whether refrigeration circuit installation is required.
Registration and Leak Testing: Confirms whether the equipment is required to be registered and regularly inspected.
Safety information: Information about the fire and explosion hazard of air conditioning gas.
Installer's responsibility: Declaration that the installation and commissioning were carried out in accordance with the legislation.
Exact installation details: Installer name, F-gas customer ID, location, installer details and signatures.

Training and qualifications

New qualification systems and changes in training

The new F-gas regulation, which will enter into force on 1 March 2025, will also significantly modify the qualification system. The handling of alternative refrigerants (carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrocarbons) requires qualified professionals, so according to the new regulations, previous qualifications are not sufficient. Professionals must have the appropriate qualifications to legally carry out activities related to climate gases. The necessary qualifications can be obtained in the following ways:

Air conditioning gas exam: A successful exam must be taken after March 1, 2025.
Retraining: For professionals with existing F-gas authorization, there is an opportunity to complete a special retraining that also covers the handling of alternative gases. This training also extends the validity of the qualification by another two years.

Retraining and further training

Retraining: Professionals who already have F-gas authorization must undergo special retraining to familiarize themselves with alternative gases and their handling. The retraining consists of a theoretical consultation and an exam and can only be taken in person. The aim of the retraining is to ensure that professionals have up-to-date knowledge of new technologies and alternative refrigerants.
Continuing education: The validity of qualifications can be extended by two years if professionals participate in continuing education provided by a continuing education body approved by the Authority. The purpose of continuing education is to ensure that professionals are constantly up-to-date and comply with legal requirements.

What does this all mean for mechanics?

Practical advice for mechanics

The new F-gas regulation brings significant changes to the daily work of installers, especially those who work with climate gases. The most important changes that installers need to take into account are:

New registration and data reporting obligations: Installers must not only register their own activities, but also record the data of the equipment they install and maintain. Data such as the type of equipment, serial number, type and quantity of refrigerant gas contained in it, location of installation, and whether a leak test has been performed are all necessary to comply with the new regulation.
Carrying out leak tests: The obligation to carry out leak tests remains in force, especially for stationary refrigeration systems containing F-gases. Installers must take responsibility for carrying out regular leak tests and ensure that the tests are documented in the Climatic Gas Database.
Handling new refrigerants: Installers must also be authorized to handle carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrocarbons. According to the regulation, the installation and maintenance of alternative refrigerants requires special qualifications, which can be obtained through retraining.
Management of installation certificates: When selling and installing pre-loaded equipment, installers must ensure that the appropriate installation certificate is issued and the equipment is registered as soon as it is installed.

Closing remarks

The new F-gas regulation, which will come into effect on March 1, 2025, will bring significant changes to climate gas activities, and it is important for everyone involved to prepare for the changes. The most important things to do are:

Registration in the Klímagáz database: All businesses and professionals must register in the appropriate activity category.
Obtaining qualifications: Professionals must undergo retraining if they do not have the necessary qualifications to handle alternative refrigerants.
Performing leak tests: The regulation imposes strict leak test obligations that installers must accurately document.
Payment of supervision fees: The supervision fee must be paid within the appropriate deadlines.
Preparing for changes can help avoid legal problems and ensure sustainability and environmental protection in the long term.

F-Gas Regulation 2025: Everything you need to know about the changes