Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases)

  1. How do I obtain a licence to import HFCs into Iceland?
    The import licensing system for HFCs in Iceland is in many respects quite similar to the one operated in the EU. As the objective is to phase out the use of HFCs, the licensing system does not encourage new actors in the market. Import licenses are granted by one of two methods:
    • 89% of the allowed import each year is allocated to companies that have been on the market in the years leading up to the allocation.
    • The remaining 11% is allocated to actors who have applied for an import license according to Art. 10.b(2) or 10.b(3) of Regulation (IS) No 1066/2019.
      Example 1: Company A imported HFCs in 2015 and in 2017. Based on that, the company will be allocated import licenses for 2019 from the 89%-pot according to market share 2015-2017. Additionally, the company may apply for additional licenses under Art. 10.b(3) of Regulation (IS) No 1066/2019.
      Example 2: Company B did not import HFCs in in 2015-2017. In light of that nothing is allocated to the company from the 89%-pot, but an allocation from the 11%-pot may be applied for according to Art. 10.b(2) of Regulation (IS) No 1066/2019.

  2. Do the same rules apply for F-gases in Iceland as in the EU?
    To a large extent the same rules apply as Regulation (EU) No. 517/2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases is implemented through Regulation (IS) No. 1066/2019. There is, however, a significant difference regarding import of HFCs as the articles of the EU regulation concerning reduction of the quantity of HFCs placed on the market are not implemented in Iceland and Iceland is therefore not a participant in the EU quota system administered by the Commission. In place of that, Iceland has its own quota system on HFC imports and importers must have an import license issued according to Regulation (IS) No. 1066/2019 to legally import HFCs.