Fluorinated greenhouse gases – Certification of companies

General information

Certain activities related to facilities containing fluorinated greenhouse gases ("F-gases") may only be carried out by companies with sufficiently qualified personnel, and having sufficient work equipment available. This includes the following activities:

  1. Installation, maintenance, servicing, repair or decommissioning of
    • Stationary refrigeration systems
    • Stationary air conditioners
    • Stationary heat pumps
    • Stationary fire protection equipment
    • Mobile refrigeration systems in refrigerated trucks and trailers
    • electrical switchgears
  2. Leakage checks of installations under article 5 of the Regulation (EU) No 2024/573
  3. Recovery of F-gases in accordance with article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 2024/573

For this purpose, any company intending to perform the above-mentioned activities applies for the issuance of a company certificate.

Both, personal and company certificates issued in other Member States in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 2024/573 are recognized as equivalent qualification as certificates issued in Austria (see also article 10 paragraphs 9 and 10 and Regulation (EU) No. 2024/2215).

Enterprises affected

These regulations apply to all natural and legal persons who place, make available on the market or use the chemicals in question in Austria.

Requirements

Companies that carry out activities with Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases must ensure that these activities are carried out by sufficiently qualified personnel, and that all necessary tools and equipment are available to the certified personnel.

Deadlines

Each affected company must have a company certificate before beginning the above-mentioned activities. In the case of a start-up of such an undertaking and, or before the start of the activities for which a certificate is required, the undertaking must immediately apply for certification providing the necessary documents.

Competent authority

Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Dept. V/5 - Chemical Policy and Biocides.

The application form for certification of a company, available on the website of the  Austrian Chamber of CommerceGerman text (Bundesinnung der Mechatroniker), has to be completed and submitted by e-mail to the abovementioned office of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology. Copies of the existing personal certificates must be attached to the application.

Procedure

Submission of the application form and supplementary information by e-mail or letter to the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism.

  • If the prerequisites for certification are fulfilled, the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism issues a certificate for the undertaking.
  • If the requirements for issuing a company certificate are no longer met, the BMK will revoke the company certificate. The undertaking concerned has the right to appeal to the Landesverwaltungsgericht Wien.

Required documents

An application must include the following information:

  • Annual average of the number of persons employed by the undertaking in the regulated field
  • Number and names of certified persons employed by the undertaking, including copies of their personal certificates
  • A written declaration by the representative of the undertaking that the undertaking employs sufficient personal to cover all expected activities
  • Record of equipment and facilities built and maintained in the previous year

Further information

Caution

A company certificate does not constitute an approval of operations under the commercial law. It only requires companies carrying out activities with Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases to employ appropriately qualified personal and to obtain a certificate in accordance with EU obligations. The objective of these qualification and certification provisions is to reduce or prevent emissions of F-gases to the atmosphere.

Information on dangerous substances and mixtures can also be found at USP.gv.at.

Legal bases

Expert information

Chemicals Policy on the website of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology ( BMLUK)German text

Link to form

The application formGerman text is available on the WKO Website.

Last update: 1 January 2025

Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management

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