This Regulation shall apply to natural persons recovering fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from concerned equipment.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/623 of 28 March 2025 establishing, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2024/573 of the European Parliament and of the Council minimum requirements for certificates of natural persons and the conditions for the mutual recognition of such certificates as regards the recovery of fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from equipment and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 306/2008
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/623 of 28 March 2025 establishing, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2024/573 of the European Parliament and of the Council minimum requirements for certificates of natural persons and the conditions for the mutual recognition of such certificates as regards the recovery of fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from equipment and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 306/2008
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/573 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2024 on fluorin+ated greenhouse gases, amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 517/2014(1), and in particular Article 10(8) thereof,
Whereas:
Regulation (EU) 2024/573 includes obligations concerning the certification of natural and legal persons to carry out certain activities involving fluorinated greenhouse gases or relevant alternatives to fluorinated greenhouse gases, including natural refrigerants.
Regulation (EU) 2024/573 introduced new rules regarding certification obligations for the recovery of fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from concerned equipment. In particular, the new rules cover an extended list of substances.
It is therefore necessary, pursuant to Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573, to update the minimum requirements for the certification of natural persons with regards to the substances and the skills and knowledge to be covered in relation to recovery of fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from equipment and to specify the rules for the certification and the conditions for mutual recognition of certificates.
Regulation (EU) 2024/573 replaced Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council(2). Commission Regulation (EC) No 306/2008(3) should therefore be repealed.
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on fluorinated greenhouse gases, established by Article 34(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1 Scope
Article 2 Certificates for natural persons
1.
Natural persons recovering fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from equipment shall hold a certificate as referred to in Article 3.
2.
Natural persons recovering fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from equipment shall not be subject to the requirement laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article provided that they meet the following conditions:
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they are enrolled in a training course for the purpose of obtaining a certificate covering the relevant activity; and
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they carry out the activity under the supervision of a person holding a certificate covering that activity who is fully responsible for the correct execution of the activity.
The derogation provided for in the first subparagraph shall apply for the duration of periods spent carrying out the activities referred to in Article 1 not exceeding 24 months in total.
Article 3 Certification of natural persons
1.
A certification body as referred to in Article 4 shall issue a certificate to natural persons who have passed a theoretical and practical examination organised by an evaluation body as referred to in Article 5, covering the minimum skills and knowledge set out in Annex I.
2.
The certificate shall contain at least the following:
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the name of the certification body, the full name of its holder, a certificate number, and the date of expiry, if any;
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the activity which the holder of the certificate is entitled to perform;
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the issuing date and issuer’s signature.
3.
Member States may allow certification bodies to exempt applicants from the requirement of passing the examination referred to in paragraph 1, where the applicant previously acquired qualifications skills and knowledge equivalent to those listed in Annex I.
Member States may allow certification bodies to require applicants only to pass a supplementary examination, where the applicant’s previously acquired skills and knowledge are partly covered under those listed in Annex I.
Article 4 Certification body
1.
Member States shall specify in national law or designate the authority or authorities competent to designate a certification body authorised to issue certificates to natural persons involved in the activities referred to in Article 1.
The certification body shall be independent and impartial in carrying out its activities.
2.
The certification body shall establish and apply procedures for the issuance, suspending and withdrawing of certificates.
3.
The certification body shall maintain records that allow verifying the status of a certified natural person. The records shall demonstrate that the certification process has been effectively fulfilled. Records shall be kept for a minimum period of 5 years.