Europe: Critical delays in flammable refrigerant standards are holding back adoption in HVAC/R systems.

The transition to low-environmental impact refrigerants has brought the use of A2L and A3 class flammable fluids to the forefront in many refrigeration and air conditioning applications. However, at the European level, significant delays are emerging in updating technical standards and defining the conditions of use for these refrigerants . These regulatory gaps are creating operational uncertainty for manufacturers, designers, and system operators, slowing the widespread adoption of low-GWP solutions despite their growing popularity in the HVAC/R market.

Critical issues in technical standards

The use of flammable refrigerants, while recognized as one of the key ways to reduce the sector's climate impact, faces challenges from a European regulatory framework that has not yet consistently and up-to-dately incorporated all the necessary safety standards and technical specifications. Specifically, the lack of clear guidance on key aspects—such as charge limits, ventilation requirements, installation procedures , and testing guidelines —is resulting in:

• Interpretative uncertainties between certification bodies and control bodies;
• Differences in application between Member States , resulting in obstacles to the free movement of compliant products;
• Delays in the approval of components and systems based on flammable refrigerants , with negative effects on the competitiveness of European companies.

These critical issues not only slow the introduction of low-GWP technologies, but also increase the risk of market fragmentation, with negative effects on technological innovation and the diffusion of sustainable solutions.

Impacts on the refrigeration supply chain

For the HVAC/R sector, the lack of up-to-date technical standards represents a concrete operational barrier. The design and installation of systems with A2L or A3 refrigerants currently require risk assessment procedures and compliance criteria that are neither uniform nor fully defined at the European level. This translates into:

• Increased design and solution approval times;
• Higher costs for non-harmonized testing and validation;
• Increased risk of non-compliance during inspection or regulatory review.

These effects affect not only equipment manufacturers, but also designers and installers, who must deal with technical and regulatory documentation that is often fragmented and unclear.

Towards a clearer and more homogeneous regulation

The current situation highlights the urgent need for regulatory alignment and clearer, more uniform European standards for flammable refrigerants. Updating and harmonizing technical regulations not only promotes the adoption of low-GWP technologies, but also ensures a consistent safety framework, simplifies compliance procedures, and reduces administrative burdens for all stakeholders in the supply chain.

For refrigeration industry professionals, defining precise technical rules is a fundamental step to accelerate the integration of A2L and A3 refrigerants into HVAC/R systems, while contributing to the spread of more efficient, sustainable, and safe systems.