The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) will be running a series on the European Union’s (EU’s) directives and regulations affecting the HVACR industry. The objective of the series is to explain and define pertinent EU institutions and policy practices (that often not only are different in the United States, but have names U.S. readers are unfamiliar with) in a manner that allows a clearer understanding of events.

The series will begin with a general overview of the EU, its decision-making institutions, and the legislative process. Subsequent parts of the series will focus on specific directives and regulations that result from that process and affect our industry as well as a status update. The series includes:
 
• “F-Gas Regulation”
• “Energy Using Products Directive”
• “WEEE/RoHS Directives”
• “Renewable Energy Sources Directive”
• “Energy Performance of Buildings Directive”
• “EU Eco Labeling Requirements”

The focus on European legislative and regulatory developments pertaining to energy efficiency and climate change recognizes that developments in one region can have a profound effect on developments elsewhere in a global HVACR industry.

Part 1, “The EU and its Legislative Process,” can be found at AHRI’s Website. Part 2 will appear in a future AHRI Newsletter. For more information, contact Shelley Pursell (spursell@ahrinet.org).