F-Gas Quota 2026 — what the new allocation rules mean
By DigiEntropy Engineering · 2026-03-01 · 5 min read
Regulation (EU) 2024/573 changed the HFC quota allocation rules in non-obvious ways. The producer/importer registry is now tighter, newcomer quotas shrank, and quota trading is more transparent. What's the practical impact on prices and availability.
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The headline F-Gas changes in Regulation (EU) 2024/573 are well-publicised: the GWP thresholds for new equipment, the 2026/2027/2030 phase-out deadlines, the recovery/leak-check tightening. Less-publicised but equally important: the quota allocation rules that govern who can place HFCs on the EU market and in what quantities.
The quota rules are where the supply-side dynamics of refrigerant pricing live. Engineers don't read them directly but feel them through wholesaler pricing volatility.
This post is the short summary of what changed.
10 % - newcomer reserve - down from 15 % of total quota
Newcomer reserve shrank — from 15 % of total quota to 10 %. Effect: harder for new importers (often Chinese-brand HFC importers) to enter the EU market.
€5-25 - traded quota, per tonne CO2-eq - in recent years
Quota is tradable between holders. The price of traded quota varies year-to-year based on market tightness; it has been €5-25 per tonne CO2-eq in recent years.
5 - non-obvious changes in 2024/573 - tighter supply, more transparent pricing
The net effect: tighter supply, more transparent pricing, accelerated reclaim infrastructure.
€14/kg - quota cost in R448A - at GWP 1387 × €10/tonne CO2-eq
For R448A: quota cost (at GWP 1387 × €10/tonne CO2-eq quota): €14/kg.
€1.5/kg - quota cost in R454C - at GWP 148 × €10/tonne CO2-eq
For an HFO blend like R454C: quota cost (at GWP 148 × €10/tonne CO2-eq quota): €1.5/kg.
2027 - next quota step change - then 2030
As quotas tighten further toward the 2027 + 2030 step changes, expect quota prices to rise and HFC fluid prices to follow.
What the quota is
The EU F-Gas quota system caps the total CO2-equivalent tonnage of HFCs that can be placed on the EU market each year. Each HFC has a CO2-equivalent multiplier (its GWP × 1 kg = X kg CO2-eq). Producers and importers must hold quota equal to the CO2-eq tonnage of HFCs they bring to market.
Quota allocation: - Historic incumbents (producers + importers with sales in 2009-2013 reference period): allocated quota in proportion to historical share. - Newcomers (entities without historic baseline): allocated from a reserve pool. New regulation has shrunk this pool.
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