(fra kommisjonsforordningen)

(1) As from 1 January 2027, point 7(b) of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/573 prohibits the placing on the market of chillers with a rated capacity of up to and including 12 kW that contain fluorinated greenhouse gases with a global warming potential (‘GWP’) of 150 or more, or whose functioning relies upon those gases, except if required to meet safety requirements at the site of operation.

(2) Pursuant to Article 11(5) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573, on 8 July 2026, the German competent authority submitted to the Commission a request to authorise an exemption (‘the exemption request’) allowing the placing on the Union market of certain stationary chillers used for (re)cooling and temperature control for machine tools, which placing on the market is to be prohibited as from 1 January 2027 pursuant to point 7(b) of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/573.

(3) Machining is a manufacturing process where a final shape or part is created using the controlled removal of material by machine tools. Machine tools are stationary machines used for material processing across numerous industrial sectors, including mechanical engineering, automotive, aerospace, medical technology and electronics. Such machine tools are used for the machining of various materials, such as metals, plastics, wood, and composite materials. The stationary chillers covered by the exemption request are integrated components of machine tools, used for dissipating heat and to maintain the temperature stability necessary for high-precision manufacturing. As modern machine tools generate heat from machining processes, reliable cooling is essential to ensure performance, precision and operational stability.

(4) According to the exemption request, despite sustained investment and progress in research and development of alternatives, stationary chillers used for such machine tool applications that would not be subject to the prohibition set out in point 7(b) of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/573 are not yet commercially available in sufficient numbers to meet demand across the diverse range of machine tool applications in the Union market. Therefore, further time is necessary in order to ensure that refrigerants with a GWP value below 150 become available commercially.

(5) The exemption request further indicates that in many cases, such stationary chillers are specifically designed, integrated and qualified for the individual machine tool, requiring extensive redesign, testing and requalification of the complete system upon replacement. Therefore, in the absence of an exemption, manufacturers would face significant supply constraints across a diverse range of machine tool applications.

(6) The Commission has assessed the exemption request and considers that the conditions set out in Article 11(5), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2024/573 are fulfilled. In particular, suitable alternatives are not yet available in sufficient numbers for the equipment concerned.

(7) In view of the substantiated exemption request and the exceptional circumstances, the Commission considers that it is appropriate to exempt the equipment concerned for a limited period of time to ensure continuity of industrial operations while allowing sufficient time for the development and deployment of compliant alternatives. A period of four years is justified and proportionate to achieve those objectives.

(8) 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,