New F-gas Regulation (EU 2024/573) — what's changing for you?
The successor to Regulation 517/2014 came into force in March 2024. Quotas lowered, new bans on high-GWP refrigerants. What should you plan for now?
BRL 100 and STEK are Dutch national certification schemes — full support today is NL-only. See our honest country-coverage disclosure.
On 11 March 2024, Regulation (EU) 2024/573 came into force — the successor to the old F-gas Regulation 517/2014. For the Dutch installer this means: tighter quotas, new bans, and — eventually — a shift towards natural refrigerants.
The quota system gets stricter
The quota system regulates how many F-gases may enter the EU market per year, expressed in CO₂ equivalent. The new regulation gradually lowers this quota towards virtually zero in 2050 — a reduction of 95%+ compared to 2015.
What you'll notice in practice: prices of R-410A and R-134a rise significantly over the coming years. From 2032, virgin R-410A and R-134a may no longer be used for maintenance or servicing of stationary refrigeration installations (excluding chillers); from then on only recycled/recovered material is permitted. Tip: build up your own stock of recovered refrigerant through consistent RECOVERY entries — recovered material doesn't count towards the quota and will be worth its weight in gold.
Bans on new installations
The regulation is not retroactive — existing installations may continue running and may be serviced. But new installations must meet stricter GWP limits:
- Already since 2022 (extended in 2025): stationary commercial refrigeration (supermarkets, restaurants) with GWP ≥ 150 may no longer be newly placed on the market — this already applied before this regulation and continues, not a new step from 2026.
- From 2025: new single-split air conditioners <3 kg charge must have refrigerant with GWP < 750.
- From 2027: new split air conditioners/heat pumps (air-to-water) up to 12 kW must have GWP < 150.
- From 2029: the same applies to air-to-air systems up to 12 kW; split systems above 12 kW follow with GWP < 750 (and from 2033 further to GWP < 150).
For an installer this means: advise customers now on natural refrigerants, especially for investment decisions that need to pay off within the next 5 years. An R-410A installation that can still be supplied in 2026 will be a problem in 2032 once service prices rise sharply.
Leak-check frequencies stay (largely) the same
The 5-tonne-CO₂-eq threshold from the old regulation remains:
- >5 tonnes CO₂ eq: annual leak check mandatory.
- >50 tonnes: every six months.
- >500 tonnes: quarterly.
- With a fitted leak detection system, frequencies may double (annually → every 2 years, etc.).
What this means concretely per refrigerant type — and worked calculation examples for R-32, R-410A and R-404A — is in F-gas leak checks: how often are they mandatory?. At Koldwerk we automatically calculate the CO₂-eq charge per installation based on the GWP table and generate the correct reminder cycle. See the refrigerant module for the per-installation calculation.
What should you do in practice now?
1. Take stock: which installations still run on R-410A, R-404A or R-134a? Those are your future headache units. 2. Plan retrofits: retrofit paths exist for R-410A installations to R-454B (GWP 466) — not always technically ideal, but does save on quota. 3. Recycling as policy: make RECOVERY the standard protocol at every maintenance visit. Not only at decommissioning. 4. Training: the BRL 200 recertification from 2026 includes additional modules on natural refrigerants. Plan for this. 5. Customer communication: put a short explanation on your website and in your quotes about GWP and the regulation. End customers have a right to clarity about the future-proofing of their investment.
Further reading
- New F-gas certification A1/A2 2026 — how the new regulation changes the category classification for technicians.
- BRL 200 — F-gas personal certificate — what every technician needs to be allowed to work on F-gases.
- F-gas leak checks: how often are they mandatory? — frequency thresholds per CO₂-eq charge.
- GWP values of refrigerants — table — the numbers behind the quota calculation.
Disclaimer: this summary is based on Regulation (EU) 2024/573 (opent in nieuw tabblad) and additional implementing acts. Detailed implementation via NEN, Kiwa and the Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT) may change.
Frequently asked questions
What is Regulation (EU) 2024/573?
The new European F-gas Regulation that came into force on 11 March 2024, replacing Regulation 517/2014. It further lowers the HFC quotas, introduces new product bans on high-GWP refrigerants, and prepares the market for a further shift to natural refrigerants.
What changes compared to EU 517/2014?
A stricter phase-down towards almost complete elimination of HFCs by 2050. New bans on specific segments: split air conditioners/heat pumps up to 12 kW may no longer contain refrigerant with a GWP ≥150 from 2027 (air-to-water) or 2029 (air-to-air); systems above 12 kW follow in 2029 (GWP ≥750) and 2033 (GWP ≥150). Mandatory reporting extended to more market participants. No retroactive changes — existing installations may keep running.
Which refrigerants are banned?
No refrigerant is banned outright. However, from 2027 (split air conditioners/heat pumps air-to-water up to 12 kW) and 2029 (air-to-air up to 12 kW, and systems >12 kW with GWP ≥750), increasingly strict GWP limits apply (GWP <150 or <750) for new equipment — eventually ruling out R-410A (GWP 2,088) and R-404A (GWP 3,922) for those segments. Servicing and topping up existing installations remains allowed.
When do the quota cuts take effect?
The big cuts fall in 2027-2029 (quota drops to roughly 12% of the 2015 baseline) and 2030-2032 (to roughly 5%) — against roughly 24% in 2025-2026, so nearly a halving. High-GWP types eat disproportionately into the quota, so suppliers stop supplying them sooner. Practical effect: R-410A and R-404A become scarcer and more expensive in 2026-2027.
What should I already be doing today?
Take stock of your installation portfolio by refrigerant type (which installations run on R-410A/R-404A?). Plan replacement conversations with customers where end of life is in sight. For new builds: steer towards R-32, R-454B or natural refrigerants (R-290, R-744).