Fluorinated gases: what changes in leak control for refrigeration and air conditioning companies in 2026

Key data

If your company operates, installs or maintains equipment with greenhouse gas fluorinated gases, the rules you have been following since 2007 for leak control have been formally repealed. The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1444, published on 3 July 2026 and in force since 2 July 2026, eliminates Regulations (EC) No. 1497/2007 and (EC) No. 1516/2007, which were the technical reference for leak controls in this type of installation.

This is not an elimination of obligations: it is an update of the regulatory framework. The F-Gas sector has evolved significantly since 2007, and the current regulations have replaced these old provisions. The real risk for companies is continuing to apply procedures based on already repealed rules instead of adapting to the current framework.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation (EU) 2026/1444 has a concrete and direct objective: formally repeal two 2007 regulations that had already become outdated by the evolution of the European fluorinated gases (F-Gas) framework.

The eliminated rules are:

• Regulation (EC) No. 1497/2007: established the leak control requirements for stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment containing greenhouse gas fluorinated gases.
• Regulation (EC) No. 1516/2007: established the leak control requirements for refrigerated trucks and refrigerated trailers containing greenhouse gas fluorinated gases.

Both regulations dated from 2007 and were part of the first European F-Gas framework. Since then, regulation has evolved significantly, making these rules obsolete with respect to the currently applicable framework. The repeal formalizes this change and requires all operators to work exclusively with the updated current regulations.

Economic and operational impact

The repeal itself does not generate new direct costs, but it does have operational consequences that companies must actively manage:

• Review of internal procedures: Any leak control protocol that expressly references Regulations (EC) No. 1497/2007 or (EC) No. 1516/2007 must be updated. Maintaining procedures based on repealed rules is a compliance risk in case of inspection.
• Training and updating of technical staff: Installers and maintenance technicians must know what regulations apply now instead of the repealed rules. This may require training update sessions.
• Review of maintenance contracts: Contracts with customers or suppliers that include references to repealed regulations must be reviewed to avoid commitments based on regulations no longer in force.
• Internal audits: This is the time to verify that leak control records and equipment maintenance logs comply with the currently applicable F-Gas framework, not the repealed one.

The cost of not acting may be greater than the cost of adapting: an inspection that detects procedures based on repealed regulations may result in administrative sanctions, regardless of whether leaks are or are not controlled in practice.

Who does it affect?

• Installation companies of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment with fluorinated gases.
• Operators of stationary equipment for refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps containing fluorinated gases.
• Refrigerated transport companies operating refrigerated trucks or refrigerated trailers with fluorinated gases.
• Maintenance companies for refrigeration and air conditioning systems with fluorinated gases.
• CFOs and compliance officers of companies in these sectors, who must verify that documented procedures are aligned with current regulations.
• Technical advisors and consultants providing services to companies in the F-Gas sector.

Practical example

A logistics company operating a fleet of refrigerated trucks with fluorinated gases has a leak control procedures manual written in 2010, which expressly cites Regulation (EC) No. 1516/2007 as the regulatory basis.

With the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2026/1444, that regulation is formally repealed. If the company undergoes an inspection and presents that manual as evidence of compliance, the inspector may consider that the procedures are not aligned with the current regulatory framework, even if the physical reviews of the equipment are being carried out correctly.

The concrete action: review the manual, remove references to Regulation (EC) No. 1516/2007, and identify what F-Gas regulations currently in force regulate those same obligations to update the documentation. The same applies to any company with stationary equipment that references Regulation (EC) No. 1497/2007.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify all internal documents that reference Regulations (EC) No. 1497/2007 or (EC) No. 1516/2007 (procedure manuals, contracts, maintenance records).
2. Update leak control procedures so that they cite and comply exclusively with the currently applicable F-Gas framework, eliminating any reference to repealed rules.
3. Review maintenance contracts with customers and suppliers that include specific regulatory references to repealed regulations.
4. Inform and train technical staff (installers, maintenance technicians) about the regulatory change and what regulations apply now instead of the repealed rules.
5. Verify registration books and equipment records to ensure that documented leak controls comply with the current framework and not just the repealed one.
6. Consult with a specialist advisor in F-Gas regulations if there is uncertainty about what specific regulations replace the repealed rules for each type of equipment.

Official source

Consult complete regulations in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601444