The committee adopted the report by Avril DOYLE (EPP-ED, IE) amending the Council's common position under the 2nd reading of the codecision procedure:
- the objective of the Regulation should be not only to reduce but also to prevent emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases;
- to encourage recovery, a new clause in Article 4 aimed to facilitate the cross-border transport of recovered fluorinated greenhouse gases within the EU by allowing the competent authority of the Member State of destination to grant pre-consents to facilities that recover such gases. The pre-consents could be limited in time and revoked by the competent authorities at any time;
- the labelling requirements for apparatus containing fluorinated gases should be tightened up: the labels - which should be placed "on the outside of the front or top of the appliance or equipment, in such a way as to be clearly visible and not obscured" - should state the global warming potential of those gases;
- a new paragraph 2a in Article 8 (Control of use) stipulated that "fluorinated greenhouse gases shall only be used where other safe, technically feasible and environmentally acceptable alternatives do not exist";
- the committee reinstated an amendment adopted by Parliament at 1st reading proposing a new Article 10a (Promotion of alternatives) stating that Member States should promote the marketing of equipment, such as fridges and air conditioning products (other than those contained in cars) using alternatives to gases with a high global warming potential. They should also apply to the Commission for authorisation if they decide to introduce any sort of ban in addition to the bans provided for in Article 9;
- when considering additional measures as part of the review of the application of the Regulation, energy efficiency should be one of the factors taken into consideration;
- the Commission should present proposals for revision of the Regulation no later than 31 December 2007 and, where necessary, every two years thereafter.
Finally, MEPs amended Annex II (the list of fluorinated gases whose sale would be banned in accordance with a detailed timetable) so as to include:
- fluorinated greenhouse gases in foams other than one component foams, except when required to meet safety standards (2009);
- hydrofluorocarbons in certain aerosols (2006);
- hydrofluorocarbons in domestic refrigeration systems with less than 150g of refrigerant charge (four years after the regulation's entry into force);
- hydrofluorocarbons in commercial and industrial refrigeration systems, except when required to meet safety standards (2010);
- fluorinated greenhouse gases in stationary air conditioning, except when required to meet safety standards (2010);
- sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) in trace gas (2006).
SF6 should be banned from any form of use, except in switchgears, by 2008.