Resources
Short reference points on regulation, refrigerants, funding and temperatures, updated once a year.
In brief
Last updated: September 2026.
Does my current equipment have to be replaced?
Not necessarily. Equipment in service can keep running. What is tightening, step by step, is new refrigerants, quotas and maintenance.
Can I still top up R404A?
Virgin refrigerant has been banned for servicing since 2025. Reclaimed refrigerant can still be used until 2030, subject to availability.
Which refrigerant for a new project?
It is better to aim for a low-GWP or natural refrigerant (CO2, propane) and to check the regulation's trajectory for the equipment category. This is one of the purposes of the study.
These points are general and given for information. They concern installations in France and the European Union. Exact obligations depend on your equipment, its refrigerant charge and its use: check them against the texts in force.
Commercial refrigeration regulation
Fluorinated refrigerants
Regulation (EU) 2024/573 governs fluorinated greenhouse gases and has applied since March 2024. It replaces Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 and organises the phase-out of HFCs by 2050, through decreasing quotas and bans on placing certain types of equipment on the market.
For the operator, this means in particular:
- periodic leak checks, whose frequency depends on the equipment's charge expressed in tonnes of CO2 equivalent
- mandatory leak detection above certain thresholds
- an intervention record and an equipment register to keep up to date
- work reserved to personnel holding a certificate of competence (in France, the attestation de capacité)
- recovery of the refrigerant during interventions and at end of life
Pressure equipment
Directive 2014/68/EU (PED) governs design and placing on the market. In operation, the French order of 15 March 2000 provides, depending on the equipment category, for periodic inspections and requalification tests.
Safety of installations
The standard EN 378 (published in France as NF EN 378) sets the safety and environmental requirements for refrigeration systems and heat pumps, in particular according to the safety class of the refrigerant used.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2024/573, EUR-Lex.
Refrigerants and the F-Gas timetable
The choice of a refrigerant depends on the charge, the use, the efficiency sought, safety (flammability, toxicity) and its availability over time. The higher the GWP (global warming potential), the more the refrigerant is affected by the reduction in quotas.
HFC quotas placed on the market
| Period | Annual quota, as a share of the 2015 reference |
|---|---|
| 2025 and 2026 | about 23% |
| 2027 to 2029 | about 12% |
| 2030 to 2032 | about 5% |
| 2050 | 0% |
What to remember, refrigerant by refrigerant
| Refrigerant | GWP | Safety class | Key points |
|---|---|---|---|
| R404A | 3,922 | A1 | Virgin refrigerant banned for servicing since 2025, reclaimed usable until 2030. |
| R134a | 1,430 | A1 | Excluded from new equipment in stages (2022, 2025, 2030 depending on the equipment). Servicing restricted from 2032. |
| R410A | 2,088 | A1 | Phased out of new equipment in stages from 2025 depending on the appliance. Availability falling. |
| R32 | 675 | A2L | Banned in new equipment from 2027 for monobloc units and chillers of 12 kW or less, all fluorinated gases banned in 2032 on these appliances. |
| R513A | about 630 | A1 | Above the threshold of 150: eventually excluded from new fixed refrigeration (2030). A transitional solution. |
| R454C | about 148 | A2L | Just under the threshold of 150, but flammable. A narrow margin. |
| R290 (propane) | under 5 | A3 | Outside F-Gas. Flammable: strict safety rules. |
| R744 (CO2) | 1 | A1 | Outside F-Gas. High pressure: pressure equipment rules apply. |
GWP values are rounded and indicative. Regulation (EU) 2024/573 uses the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report for HFCs and the Sixth for other fluorinated gases: the manufacturer's safety data sheet prevails. A1: non-flammable. A2L: mildly flammable. A3: highly flammable. Deadlines are simplified: they depend on the equipment category, its capacity and its charge (Annex IV of the Regulation), and should be checked against the text before any decision. Summary consulted (in French): GFF, "F-Gas : on fait le point".
For a renewal project, the useful question is not only "which refrigerant is allowed today" but "which one will still be allowed in fifteen years". We build this into the study.
Funding and grants
Energy savings certificates (CEE)
The CEE scheme is a French mechanism that funds part of certain energy-saving works, based on standardised operations classified by sector (residential, commercial buildings, industry and agriculture, among others). The conditions should be checked before you commit: the application for the premium must in principle come before the quote is signed.
We systematically study your project's eligibility for CEE and equivalent support.
Replacing an oil or gas boiler with a heat pump
In an existing commercial building, replacing an oil, gas or coal boiler with a heat pump may fall under standardised operations such as sheet BAT-TH-163 (air-to-water heat pump), sometimes with a bonus under the "Coup de pouce chauffage" scheme. These notably require a minimum energy performance level, a sizing note and a commitment made before the quote is signed.
Conditions and validity dates change: check them before any commitment. The choice between CO2 and propane depends on the water temperature to be produced and on the site.
Sources (in French): standardised operations, Ministry of Ecological Transition and Coup de pouce chauffage, collective and commercial buildings.
Storage temperatures by activity
| Activity or product | Typical value | To check |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, temperature-sensitive medicines | 2 to 8 °C | Product leaflet and good dispensing practice |
| Frozen foods | −18 °C or lower | Frozen food regulations and food safety management plan |
| Chilled foods | Depends on the food, often 0 to 4 °C | French order of 21 December 2009 for retail, and food safety management plan |
| Wine in storage | 12 to 14 °C | Depending on the type of wine and its use |
These are typical values. Your food safety management plan (HACCP), product leaflets and the requirements of your profession prevail.
A project, a question?
These points do not replace a study. To find out what applies to your installation, let's talk.