Major Impact on the Refrigerant Industry: Public Consultation Now Open to All
The widely used European standard EN 378:2016—which governs safety and environmental requirements for refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump systems—is now undergoing a major revision. A public enquiry period for the draft revision will run from July 3 to September 25, 2025, allowing anyone to submit comments.
Key Proposed Changes:
- The method for calculating charge limits for flammable refrigerants will be significantly revised.
- Annex E of Part 1 will become a standalone new Part 5, allowing for more flexible updates to refrigerant information.
- Part 4 is set to be replaced by EN ISO 5149-4, aligning with ISO standards (with no technical changes to content).
Individuals may submit feedback through their respective national standardization bodies. If the draft is approved, the updated version—EN 378:2026—will be published in 2026, and the current 2016 edition will be withdrawn. This revision may also impact CE marking and harmonization with ISO standards in the future.
Future Outlook and Industry Impact
If adopted, the revised EN 378 will reshape how new refrigerants are introduced and how safety measures are implemented on worksites. The change is expected to have a significant impact on the European refrigeration and air conditioning sector. In particular, companies transitioning to low-environmental-impact refrigerants may need to reassess their technical and operational approaches.
Key Terms
- EN 378: A core European safety and environmental standard for refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump systems.
- Public Enquiry: The open comment period conducted by CEN for proposed standard revisions.
- Flammable Refrigerants: Refrigerants requiring special safety considerations; the revised EN 378 introduces a new calculation method for charge limits.
