RMIF publishes EU aircon rules guide

The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) has published a guidebook to help businesses deal with new EU/UK regulations that prevent technicians without proven qualifications from working on in-car air conditioning systems.

Motor technicians servicing air conditioning systems of passenger car and light commercial vehicles must now by law be certified as competent. This requirement stems from a new European Union Regulation aimed at reducing the release of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, or F-Gas, into the atmosphere. These gases can have global warming potentials over a thousand times higher than that of carbon dioxide.

F-Gas Regulation Briefing provides guidance on the EU regulation and the draft UK regulations to so that motor vehicle servicing and repair businesses can conform to the new environmental controls.

Commenting on the new booklet, RMIF non-executive chairman Alec Murray said: ‘The new regulations will mean more regulation to conform to within the workshop. The booklet will explain how businesses can get to grips with the new rules.’

UK regulations setting out the offences and associated penalties for breach of the EU Regulation will come into force later this year. They will ensure that F-Gas emissions are minimised. These will be followed by additional EU regulations establishing minimum standards of competence for technicians removing F-Gas from vehicle air conditioning systems.

F-Gas Regulation Briefing is available from RMIF Business Stationery at a price of £19 plus VAT. Call 020 7580 9122 to order a copy, quoting reference number RMI 80